Wings of the White Angel
by Wolf General
Summary: The Chuunin Exam has been turned on its head because of Death's appearance. Team Eight meets the other Teams, if in small pieces...and of course basic madness going on all over.
1. Enter Kin

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 1: Enter Kin

_Konoha, the Hidden Village of the Leaf. It is a place of peace and home to some of the greatest ninja in the world. However, not all of the ninja here are motivated to do their best. Kin Watanabe, the only child of the Watanabe line of ninjas, has always had problems with motivation. Though the potential to be a great ninja was within him, there was never a driving purpose to go along with it._

_Until now…_

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It is a peaceful afternoon in Konoha Village at the Watanabe household. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and everything couldn't be more peaceful.

In the garden of the Watanabe complex sat a young boy of no more than twelve years of age. He was very thin, albeit healthy looking. A long mane of aquamarine-colored hair hung down his shoulders, giving him a strangely wild appearance. ("Another day of nothing to do…another day of mediocrity in my life.")

Looking up at the sky, Kin's single green eye and single blue eye traced over the shape of cloud after cloud. ("To think I passed my Academy test just this morning.")

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"_Step forward please."_

_Kin stepped forward, his green vest and green shorts almost hanging off of him. "Kin Watanabe," he spoke with no strength in his voice, as if this wasn't important to him._

"_What's with the attitude, boy?" The examiner narrowed his eyes, morning light filtering into the classroom through the blinds. "How about you show a little enthusiasm?"_

"_Why?"_

_That brought the examiner pause…and he broke it with a cold glare. "Because if you don't I'll fail you on the spot."_

"_Then do it and let me go home."_

_A vein bulged slightly out of the examiner's forehead. "Why you little…"_

_The other examiner chuckled and held out a hand to his bristling comrade. "Come on, don't get angry at him. He's trying to keep his cool in this situation."_

_Kin closed his eyes and sighed. "All right, what do you want me to do?"_

_Looking his papers over, the non-bristling examiner glanced up at the boy. "I'm going to throw a kunai at you. As you noticed when you came in, there is a small log propped up in the corner of this room. I want you to perform the Replacement Technique to dodge the attack." His hand lifted up to reveal a knife. "At the count of three. One…two…"_

_Kin opened his eyes slowly. "Just throw."_

"_Three!" The knife hurtled towards him like a rocket._

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Kin stood up and brushed some blades of grass off of his vest. "It was so easy…I don't feel any success in it. Maybe because I know what the other students don't…and that's that only nine of the passing students will actually become Genin." Turning, he continued to look up at the sky. Then his eyes trailed over to the birds that were chirping in the tree right next to him. "There's no way I'm going to be able to match up to the rest of the class. There are too many skilled…"

"Talking to yourself again, Kin?" The voice came from the kitchen window that looked over the garden.

"Yes mother…" Snapping his head away, Kin walked towards the far end of the garden. He hated it when she listened to him speak with himself. It was such a pain.

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"He went that way!"

Terubisu leapt from rooftop to rooftop, his eyes narrowed as he looked for a way to shake off these annoying Konoha ninja. ("How long am I going to have to run from them?")

He was shaken from his thoughts as someone leapt onto the rooftop right in front of him. "Stop right there, thief!"

Sliding to a stop on his rooftop perch, Terubisu sneered from underneath his face mask. "Or you'll what, you pitiful excuse for a ninja?"

They met eyes…and then their hands were moving, each performing a long chain of hand motions. It was a race now. Both had chosen their Ninjitsu techniques to try and perform, so whoever completed the seals first would most likely win the confrontation.

Except that there had been more than one pursuer. "Stop thief!" A knife went sailing through the air and stabbed right into Terubisu's neck.

The ninja's eyes widened slightly…right before he dissipated into a cloud of smoke.

"It was a fake?" Now that his target was no longer in sight, the ninja that had been performing the seals stopped and focused his senses. The real thief had to be somewhere nearby.

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Kin looked down at the water of the pond below him. ("Father…why do I still pursue the dream you had for me? You're dead and gone, but yet I still continue to try and become a ninja.") Ever since his father's death two years ago, his drive to become a ninja had died…and yet somehow he managed to keep himself in training. Even though his will was weak, his body and spirit kept going. ("And now here I am, on the verge of meeting the end of your foolish dream. After I take the Genin examination tommorow, I will be able to quit being a ninja once I fail. There's no purpose in me continuing this path…I have no reason to follow your dream, right?")

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"There he is!"

"No, he's over there!"

Terubisu did a triple back flip out of the range of the Konoha Ninja's kunai. "Too slow, you mediocre fool!" The moment his feet touched the ground he was moving, his fist connecting with bone-shattering force to the face of his opponent. His other hand grasped the handle of the kunai that the struck ninja had been holding and wrenched it from his grasp. "Now let me ease your pain."

Driving the weapon point-first into the injured ninja's eye, Terubisu quickly turned and continued his run. He was far from free yet, and until he was he'd kill anyone who got in his way. What he had stolen was far too precious. And no one would stop him from getting it out of this village.

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Kin wandered around the garden, his eyes closed. He listened to the wind blow through his ears, and sighed weakly. ("Father…why did you have to die?") Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out a small golden chain with a golden dragon's claw grasping a fire diamond at the end of it. ("This is all I have left to remember you by…your gift to me. I miss you so much…")

"Stop thief!"

Kin looked up just in time to see someone go flying over the wall of the garden and run right into him, sending him flying to the ground.

Terubisu growled and saw something on the ground. It was glittering in the dying sunlight. ("How'd it get out of my pouch?") Grabbing the item, he leapt up and continued running. ("I have to get away before they catch up to me!") As he hurtled over the next wall, he felt a kunai shoot right past his head. ("Damn it…I have to move faster!")

Kin's eyes slowly opened…and the first thing he noticed was that his father's memento was not around his neck. ("Where'd it go?") Looking around frantically, he quickly realized where it had gone. ("No…he took it? No way…") Turning, he ran as fast as he could into the house. ("I won't let it get away! It means too much to me!")

His mother blinked in surprise as her son shot past her like a rocket. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I'm going for a…" Grabbing his backpack, Kin was out the front door before he could even finish the sentence.

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Terubisu leapt from tree branch to tree branch, chuckling to himself. He had those foolish Konoha ninja following one of his smoke replications. And now he had to double back to make sure that he had escaped from them. Having them chase him all the way out of Fire Country was not the most ideal possible outcome. ("But it doesn't matter, they'll never catch me.")

He caught something out of the corner of his eye, and stopped immediately. A kunai stabbed into the tree in front of him. ("Hmm…what's this?") Something blurred into his sight of vision.

Kin held another kunai cocked back to strike, now just a few inches from Terubisu's face. "Give me back my necklace!"

Terubisu blinked in surprise at the sudden attack, barely able to leap backwards right before the weapon was buried into the wood of the tree he had been standing on the branch of. "What necklace?"

"I saw you take it!" Kin let go of the kunai instantly, his other hand snapping down and fishing a trio of shurikens out of his side-pack. Snapping his hand up, he let all three of the small metal stars fly towards the black-clothed ninja.

Terubisu casually dropped from the branches of the tree and landed on the grass of the small park that he had been traveling to. "You've got some guts trying to stop me, kid."

Kin growled and mentally counted the number of shurikens and kunai that he had left in his belt. ("About 10 kunai and 15 shurikens remaining…and this guy seems like he's pretty clever. He must have some ninja training.") Using his hand to help him gain momentum, he rebounded off the next branch and came down with a flying kick towards Terubisu.

The ninja calmly watched the approach of the boy's kick, almost in slow motion to his highly trained senses. ("This kid has no idea what he is getting himself into.") Leaping back, he drew a kunai from his clothing and calmly tossed it right at the boy's open chest.

Kin saw it coming, and snapped his arm up to deflect the blow with his own kunai…but even as the thrown blade met the held one, he understood the danger he was in now. Bringing his eyes back to the spot where Terubisu had been a few seconds ago, he found no one standing there. ("Where'd he go?")

"Hey kid…"

Kin's blood ran cold as a voice whispered into his ears. "Impossible…"

Terubisu's hand positioned itself under Kin's chin. "…know who you are picking fights with." His hand drove into Kin's chin and stopped his forward momentum, sending him rocketing backwards about twenty feet into a tree. "And as for your necklace, I don't give a damn."

Kin's back slammed into the hard wood of the tree and indented into it. Coughing up a few drops of blood, he started to slide down to the ground.

"Actually…I'm not done with you yet." Flipping his kunai in mid-air, the black-clothed ninja caught it by the point and hurled it with all of his strength. "Take this!"

Kin heard the whistling noise and tried to overcome the shock in his system the collision had caused. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break the momentary stasis his body was in.

Terubisu chuckled to himself as the weapon embedded itself right in the boy's throat. "Too…"

Kin smiled slightly…and there was a burst of smoke that filled the air. When it cleared a log dropped to the ground, the kunai sticking out of it.

("_Kawarimi no jitsu_? I didn't expect him to know any Ninjitsu techniques.") Drawing another kunai free, Terubisu extended his senses to try and locate where Kin was. ("He couldn't have gone far…") His eyes widened as he felt something sharp and metal drive into his lower back.

"Give me back my necklace." Kin spoke through clenched teeth, holding the kunai in the small of the man's back. "Give it back right now."

Terubisu responded by exploding into a burst of smoke. And when it cleared Kin found himself holding the kunai point-first into a log. "When did…" His breath caught in his throat as shurikens launched past him in a wave of five, two of them lodging into his arms, and two lodging into his lower legs. The final one pierced right between his ribs, going in to about half of its length before the flesh finally stopped it. Blood sprayed out of each wound, and Kin, still stunned, could only stand still and watch his own blood start to slowly pool at his feet.

"You're pretty good, considering your skill level." Terubisu dropped down from out of a nearby tree and started to flip his kunai up and down slowly. "However, you're messing with a Jounin, little boy. Of course it really doesn't matter now, because you're dead." He walked up to the wide-eyed Kin and placed the tip of the kunai against the boy's neck gently. "So tell me, how does it feel to know you picked a fight with Terubisu of the Smoke?"

Kin tilted his head back slightly, fear evident in his eyes. ("This guy is a Jounin?") The cold grip of reality squeezed his heart. ("I'm going to die…")

Terubisu casually fished something out of his belt pouch and held it up. "Is this what you wanted?" Dangling the golden-chained necklace in front of Kin, he laughed from underneath his face-mask. "Sorry boy, but I have gone through too much for this thing. And besides, you wouldn't know what to do with it anyway."

As the gold of the chain caught the last rays of sunlight, Kin felt a momentary burst of willpower from deep within himself. "My father's…"

"Your father's?" Terubisu's eyebrows lifted up a little.

"Return it!" Kin snapped his arm out, grabbing the jewel at the end of the necklace and clenching tightly.

Terubisu shook his head and sighed. "Die." His arm shoved forward and stabbed the kunai's point into Kin's throat. After making sure the blood spray was real, he pushed the body back…

Even as his life was slipping away, Kin wouldn't lose his father's memento. ("No…you can't take it from me without a fight…")

Terubisu growled as the chain slid out of his grasp, the boy crashing back-first to the ground with the necklace clenched in his hand. "Stubborn little bastard…" Pulling out another kunai, he crouched in front of the twitching body. "Then let me remove that necklace, and take your fingers off in one blow."

Kin's eyes started to slowly close… ("I've failed…I never stood a chance…")

"So that was your father's huh?" Terubisu lifted up the blade of the kunai and pressed it against one of Kin's fingers. "That's a shame, that you couldn't protect it then. It speaks of just how powerful your father actually was."

It burned to hear this…but Kin felt too much pain. He just wanted to sink away from it all. And so he began to slide into oblivion.

Terubisu ran his kunai over Kin's fingers lightly, dripping blood down into the boy's palm. "And now I have a line to follow. I don't want to risk…" He was cut off as an explosion of red fire shot from Kin's palms and hit him in the chest, sending him rolling back and batting at his burning clothing. "What in the hell?"

Kin's eyes slowly opened…and he sat up. ("I'm alive…") As his vision came back into focus, he looked over to see that thief about ten feet from him, smoke coming off of his clothing. "What…happened?"

"That necklace…" Terubisu couldn't believe it…for some reason the relic he had stolen had awoken for that damned kid. Luckily the energy released had been nothing more than a defensive burst in response to the blood touching it, but that alone had hurt. ("And it might have caught the attention of those damned ninjas who were chasing me…") "Hey kid…I'll give you one chance. If you return the necklace to me then I'll let you live."

Kin wasn't listening…he was too busy staring at what he was holding. "What is this thing? This isn't my father's necklace…" Even as he spoke the pain from the shurikens and from the kunai were diminishing. Numbly, he reached up and slid the blade out of his throat, the wound instantly closing. ("How am I doing this?")

("The necklace is healing him too…damn it…I have to risk it retaliating, because if I don't kill him now who knows what will happen next.") Terubisu leapt to his feet, his hands flying in a storm of motions. "_Kemuri Shuriken no Jitsu!_" As he finished the hand motions, a small flow of Chakra ran through his hands. "Take this!" Grabbing something from out of his side-pack, he slammed it into the ground and a cloud of smoke filled the section of park they were in.

Kin snapped his head around in confusion. ("A smoke bomb? Why?") Hopping to his feet, he placed the necklace around his neck and drew another kunai. ("I can't run…he still has father's necklace…") A whistling noise pierced the air near him and he ducked, feeling something shoot past his head. ("He's throwing shurikens at me in these conditions? He must be crazy…there's no way he can see me.") Pain shot up his arm as something stabbed right into his right arm, sending blood spraying from the new wound. ("But…I didn't hear it…") Grabbing at the wound, he felt no weapon. ("Where'd the shuriken go?")

"I've figured out your location, boy. Soon enough you'll be dead, so I suggest you give me the necklace right now," Terubisu's voice echoed amongst the smoke cloud, and another silent shuriken stabbed right into Kin's right kneecap.

Gasping in pain, Kin reached down to remove the weapon and found nothing there. The wound was real, but the shuriken had disappeared. ("There has to be some kind of trick to this! Where do these shurikens go when he uses them?") Drawing another kunai, his mind ran through a couple of possibilities, but neither of them seemed plausible. ("It must be a…of course! That's why he used the smoke bomb…he must use his chakra to create shurikens out of the smoke…but how do I fight against something like that? They're silent killers…") Gritting his teeth, he stumbled as he felt numerous sharp pains in his chest. ("I feel like I'm dying…")

"This is over, kid." Terubisu stood right outside of the smoke cloud, weaving the smoke into another handful of shurikens that he threw into it. "You can't hope to last through another volley, can you?"

Kin growled in anger and dropped to his stomach. ("I need to figure out a way to stop this guy's attacks! I have to…")

_To be continued…_


	2. Blowing away the Smoke

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 2: Blowing away the smoke

_Gasping in pain, Kin reached down to remove the weapon and found nothing there. The wound was real, but the shuriken had disappeared. ("There has to be some kind of trick to this! Where do these shurikens go when he uses them?") Drawing another kunai, his mind ran through a couple of possibilities, but neither of them seemed plausible. ("It must be a…of course! That's why he used the smoke bomb…he must use his chakra to create shurikens out of the smoke…but how do I fight against something like that? They're silent killers…") Gritting his teeth, he stumbled as he felt numerous sharp pains in his chest. ("I feel like I'm dying…")_

"_This is over, kid." Terubisu stood right outside of the smoke cloud, weaving the smoke into another handful of shurikens that he threw into it. "You can't hope to last through another volley, can you?"_

_Kin growled in anger and dropped to his stomach. ("I need to figure out a way to stop this guy's attacks! I have to…")_

Terubisu snapped his hands out and sent another storm of smoke shurikens into the cloud. This time he heard the wood of the tree on the other side of the cloud tear, which meant that the boy had ducked. ("He's trying to dodge the impossible.") Creating another handful of the chakra-formed weapons, he hurled them all at the ground.

Kin's eyes shot open as he felt pain burn all along his body. Each and every one of the shurikens had hit their mark on one part of his body or another. Coughing up blood, he pressed his face against the dirt and tried to bring his body out of the shock the pain had placed him in. ("I can't take another of those attacks…") Warmth spread up his spine as the wounds began to close slowly. Though he didn't know it, the necklace he wore was still constantly healing him. If it wasn't for that bonus, he'd have been dead by now.

Terubisu watched the cloud start to dissipate. ("He should be dead by now. But just to be sure…") Taking one of his kunai, he snapped the weapon down at the ground where he knew the boy was. "One last hit…"

Kin's ears perked. ("Now!") There was an explosion of white smoke right before the kunai hit him. As the smoke cleared, there was a log in his place. The kunai quivered into the trunk.

Terubisu clenched his fist and extended his senses. ("That little punk isn't half bad…he managed to use a replacement while face-first on the ground.") Drawing another kunai, he smirked underneath his mask. ("However, in a short moment you'll be dead, so it doesn't matter.")

The bushes nearby rustled slightly.

"There!" Terubisu threw the weapon right into the bush, putting his full body weight behind it.

The log exploded into a cloud of white smoke.

Terubisu turned around just in time to catch a fist in the face. ("He…tricked me?")

Kin ground his teeth, still in mid-leap. "You're not…" As his foot touched the ground he pushed off, slamming right into Terubisu's stomach with the full weight of his body. "…taking me seriously!"

Grimacing, the ninja was forced to slide backwards a few feet along the boy's body. ("He used the transformation technique to make me think that he had replaced himself with a log. When in truth he turned himself into the log. Clever…")

Kin pushed up with all of his strength, driving an uppercut into Terubisu's chin and launching the ninja ten feet into the air. ("I'm too tired…I can't continue the combo…") Kicking out with his right foot, he drove his toes into his opponent's stomach at full strength to push away. As they moved apart from each other, he performed a few back-flips to get some distance between himself and Terubisu.

Terubisu let his body hit the ground, preferring to simply go with the force of the landing. Arching his back, he did a full body roll and came up facing Kin.

Kin, on the other hand, was stumbling now. After the fifth back-flip, he had slipped when his feet had touched the ground. ("This guy is tough…tougher than me…")

("This kid is tough…but not tough enough. If he was smart he would have kept attacking, but instead he gave up a perfect chance to attack me while I was defenseless. However, I'm running out of time. So I'll have to take him seriously.") Snapping up his hands in front of his chest, Terubisu began to create the necessary seals for one of his more advanced Ninjitsu techniques.

Kin shook his head out to try and clear the blur. ("I can't surrender now…I have to get dad's necklace back. But other than the replacement technique and transformation technique…I know only one combo of Ninjitsu that would help in this situation. So here's my chance to win!") He started to form the seals for the technique…

"_Kemuri Bunshin no Jitsu!_" Terubisu grabbed a smoke bomb out of another of his pouches and threw it to the ground. Instead of a smoke cloud forming though the smoke from the bomb arched up in two directions on both sides of his, each one forming into a vaguely humanoid shape.

Kin concentrated and tried to form the seals, but he couldn't concentrate. He was too tired…

The two humanoid shapes finished forming, both of them taking on the appearance of Terubisu. And then all three Terubisu drew a kunai.

Cursing under his breath, Kin broke off of the seal chain. He didn't have the time to try and perform the technique now.

"How's this, kid?" The middle Terubisu's eyes widened in excitement. "Don't you like my smoke replication technique?"

"Smoke replication technique?" Kin took a step back, pulling two more kunai out of his side-pouch. Doing a quick mental review, he knew that he had only one or two more kunai left. Sliding into a fighting stance, he frowned. "They're just illusions…"

"Let's see if you can prove that theory." The middle Terubisu snapped his fingers and the replication to his left charged in, slashing its kunai down towards Kin's neck.

Bringing one kunai up, Kin caught the blade with his own and felt solid resistance. "It isn't a…" Hopping back, he yelped as replication kept charging and swinging. Ducking under a sloppy swing, he stabbed one of his kunai into the right armpit of the clone. Other than meeting resistance, nothing happened. ("This isn't right…shadow replications are supposed to disappear when you hit them once.")

Terubisu snickered as the replication kept attacking, its movements rather choppy. It was almost like a puppet. "Any replication created through my smoke replication technique can only be dispelled with ten solid hits. That means that you're outclassed. However, because of the amount of chakra I am expelling right now, my replication's power is only about one-fifth of my own ability. So who knows, maybe you'll beat it?"

Kin slashed across the chest of the replication, but no mark was left. ("Five…") Back-flipping away, he heard the replication charge in to cover the distance. And so he continued to back-flip.

Watching the continuous back-flip, Terubisu chuckled. "Not bad kid, but still no match for my replication." Snapping his fingers, he smirked underneath his mask as the other replication charged into the fight.

Kin felt the other one coming and growled in anger. ("There's no way for me too…") A pained yelp escaped his lips as the current replication stabbed its kunai into his back.

"Got…" Terubisu growled in disappoint as Kin's body exploded in a burst of white smoke. Seconds later a log dropped to the ground at his replication's feet. "Another Kawarimi? Is that the only trick you have?"

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Kin pressed his back against the nearby tree, going completely silent. ("I'm safe…for the moment. But with those replications backing him up there is no way that I can hope to overcome him in a fight…") Smiling weakly, he resisted the urge to sigh. ("This is why I wouldn't make a good ninja. Sorry dad, it looks like I'm finished.")

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Terubisu's two replications returned to his side.

"He must be nearby, find him." As soon as he said this, his two clones disappeared. ("Now…I just have to wait for my replications to flush you out. And it shouldn't take too long…") Running a thumb along the edge of his kunai, he closed his eyes and listened with his ears. ("Come out little rabbit…you can't win…")

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Kin clenched his right fist tightly. There was no purpose to this fight…he couldn't win. His opponent was a Jounin level ninja, and that meant he was out-classed to the fifth degree. ("No matter what I do…I can't win. I only have one method left to fight with…and with the amount of strength I have left I could only hold it for thirty seconds at most. That's not enough time to beat three of him…")

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_Kin dropped to his knees and felt the sweat glide off of his face to the grass below him. "Dad…can we please take a break?"_

_Tuiso Watanabe flicked his blond ponytail over one shoulder and frowned down at his son. "You haven't completed the exercise yet, and therefore you can't rest. You know this, Kin."_

"_But dad…" Kin began to whine, but was cut off as his father grabbed him by the front of the vest and brought him eye to eye._

"_Listen to me…" Tuiso looked up at the blue sky. "Don't you understand that your opponent's aren't going to give you a break in a fight? If you aren't prepared to fight with all of your heart and soul, then there's no point in you becoming a ninja."_

"_I don't want to be a ninja though…" Kin's eyes closed. "I don't have a reason to put my heart and soul into being one…"_

"_You'll find a reason one day…until then I suppose these words mean nothing to you. But I'll tell you them anyway." Tuiso dropped his son and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Your drive to be anything in life stems from necessity. If you have no purpose in life then you don't deserve to live. We all have purpose, and you know where your true potential lies."_

"_Just because my potential lies in being a ninja doesn't mean I have to be one though…"_

"_Oh really?" Tuiso shook his head sadly. "You don't understand at all, do you? Konoha is our home…but it is the peaceful place it has always been because ninjas like myself keep it safe. The world is full of powerful ninjas, and talents like yours will help keep Konoha safe…so don't be so greedy as to consider what you want over what you can do for your country…and for your village."_

_Kin looked away, at the water of the garden pond. "You don't understand me at all…"_

"_No…I understand you more than you understand yourself…" Tuiso smiled. "My thick-headed son…my lazy son…you'll understand what it means to fight for something…for a cause. I don't know when, but you'll understand."_

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Kin's eyes opened slowly. ("I understand dad…fighting for a cause. I fight for your memory…") His hands lifted up and began to make the necessary seals. ("This will be a one shot deal…if I blow it then it's over…") Standing up, he turned and walked out into the open.

Terubisu heard him and immediately threw the kunai. "Die."

Kin finished the last seal, not stumbling in the slightest through the hand motions. "_Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jitsu!_" Wisps of white silk appeared around his body, floating on invisible winds. ("Here we go father…") His eyes snapped open, and to his eyes the kunai was moving towards him at the speed of a snail. ("Thirty seconds…")

Terubisu's gasped in surprise as Kin disappeared, the boy's body blurring for a moment and then vanishing. ("Where did he go?") Then all breath was blasted out of his body as a fist slammed deep into his stomach.

Kin's blue and green eyes met Terubisu's grey ones. "Take this…the Watanabes' ultimate technique…" His other arm snapped up and crashed into Terubisu's ribs at the speed of a bullet.

Gasping for air, the smoke ninja called for his replications while he dropped to his knees.

Kin counted the seconds by in his head. ("Twenty-five…") His fists removed themselves from the indents in Terubisu's body that he had caused and slammed away at the ninja's body without mercy.

Through the burning pain in his body, Terubisu tried to understand what was going on. ("He's faster…impossibly faster…") The blows kept hitting him at machine gun speed, and he heard a couple of ribs crack.

("Twenty.") Kin dropped to the ground and snapped his foot up, catching Terubisu on the chin and sending him launching up into the air a few feet. Returning to a standing position instantly, the boy's right fist slammed an upper-cut onto the man's chin that turned that few feet of air-time into twenty feet.

Terubisu was actually getting motion sickness from the speeds he was being forced to move at.

Kin ran full speed away from his still air-born target. ("Have to finish this before the replications get back…fifteen…") Running full speed at a tree, he bounced off of it and used the wood like a spring-board, launching himself at Terubisu and slamming his forehead right into the ninja's chin.

Pain flashed across the smoke ninja's senses as his jaw was shattered.

Kin flew through the air along with the now missile-like Terubisu, who was hurtling towards a tree. ("Ten…") Driving his elbow into the man's throat, Kin ignored the loud crack he heard and repositioned himself so his legs were out in front of him. ("Nine…")

Terubisu struggled to draw in breath now, and was unable to break into a roll as his forward motion was suddenly redirected down into the ground. Weakly, he tried to stand up. ("I have to create another replication…the other two aren't going to arrive in time…") His hands began to move towards each other.

("Six…") Kin bounced off of the tree and shot towards the back of Terubisu's head like a missile, fist cocked and ready to strike as soon as possible. His White Wind Angel technique would cost him all of his chakra, and that meant that in six seconds he'd be completely defenseless.

("Nearly done…") Terubisu had done it sloppily, but he would get a smoke replication in a moment. Though because of how quickly he had done the seals, he knew that it might cost him most of his remaining chakra. But his body was too damaged at the moment, and he needed a fresh one to fight for him.

("Four…") Kin's fist snapped out and slammed into the center of the back of Terubisu's head, forcing the ninja to kiss the dirt immediately. Hitting the ground in a roll, Kin came up and charged towards the still downed ninja. ("Two…") Driving his right foot full strength into Terubisu's left shoulder; the boy punted the smoke ninja through the air and right into a tree.

Sliding down the wood slowly, Terubisu could barely make out the blur of his attacker. All he could see was a humanoid form surrounded by wisps of white silk. ("What kind of Ninjitsu is this?") His eyes were already swelling from the pain…and he was losing vision quickly…everything was getting blurry and at least a dozen major bones in his body were broken.

("Zero…") Kin dropped to his knees, everything returning to normal speed for him. ("That's it…I'm done. I have no energy…") The bushes behind him rustled and he turned around just in time to see the first smoke replication drive its kunai right into the center of his chest. There was no pain though…he just smiled weakly. ("I guess I wasn't able to win…that's a shame…huh dad?")

Terubisu felt the sensation of force from his replication. ("I…I got…") Crashing face-first to the ground, he passed out from the pain of his injuries.

Kin watched weakly as the replication disappeared in a puff of smoke. And then he collapsed, unconscious as well. ("Dad…I think I did it…")

---------------

The Konoha Jounin looked at the damage to the landscape of the park area. And then he looked at the still unconscious Terubisu again. ("Amazing…that kid managed to beat him…")

A Chuunin walked up to the ninja and bowed his head slightly. "Sir, we found the chain of the stolen relic, but no sign of the jewel."

"Where was the chain?" The Jounin looked at some of strange indents in the body of Terubisu and rubbed his chin.

"Around the neck of the boy, sir."

"Who's the boy?"

The Chuunin looked over his superior's shoulder and at the smoke ninja's damaged form. "Kin Watanabe…"

"Watanabe?" Smiling, the Jounin knew where the wounds had come from. ("This Watanabe family possesses one of the strongest bloodline limits I've ever seen. The White Wind Angel…") For a few moments he actually felt sorry for Terubisu. "Take the boy home for now, and sent in an ANBU team to check the area for the jewel."

"Yes sir."

_To be continued…_


	3. Kin, Kai, and Yurei

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 3: Kai, Kin and Yurei; Team Eight

_Kin giggled and ran through the garden of his family's home once more, a huge smile on his face. ("This is so cool!") Bending at the knees, he pushed off and launched at least 100 feet into the air._

_Tuiso sighed as he watched his four-year-old son go air-born. ("He still thinks the bloodline limit is a toy? How much fun can it be to expend all of your chakra with one jump?") Leaping into the air, he caught Kin and landed back in the garden. "You should be more careful with the energy you are using. Remember…it's dangerous."_

_Kin rolled his eyes. "You're no fun…" Then his eyes widened as something caught his eye over his father's shoulder._

_A black form calmly stood just inches away from his father's back. Lifting up a kunai, it snapped the weapon back…_

_-----------_

Kin's eyes snapped open, instantly blinded by the bright sunlight pouring into his room. ("I'm home? At what point did I…")

"Are you finally awake Kin?" His mother's voice wafted into the room from the kitchen.

"Yeah…I am." Looking around, the boy frowned at the fact that nothing was different in his room. There weren't any medical supplies nearby…as if his mother didn't even know what had happened to him. ("But that shouldn't be possible…I had gotten the living crap beaten out of me…")

"You overslept dear, aren't you supposed to be at the academy right now?"

Kin's heart froze in his chest. ("It's tommorow? That can't be…I should have been out for at least two days…the White Wind Angel technique should have sucked me completely dry…") Flexing his fingers, he frowned. ("I feel fine…in fact I feel better than fine…I feel great. But how…the academy?") All of his worries were pushed aside as he realized what his mother was referring to. ("But that means…I'm late!")

_--------------------_

"Are you sure you don't want some breakfast?"

"I'm sure!" Slamming the front door, Kin charged down the street at full speed. ("The team assignments are already underway…and if I miss it then all of my efforts will have been for nothing!") A fleeting idea to use the White Wind Angel technique came into his head, but it was immediately swept aside. ("Burning all of my chakra wouldn't be smart. I'd rather be late and fresh than on time and dead on my feet.") Though at the speed he was running he might just be on the verge of exhausting himself already.

_--------------------_

At the ninja academy, in the classroom shared by the recent graduates, the reading of team assignments was already taking place.

------------------

Kin ducked under an over-hanging beam and kept running, eyes locked ahead. ("I can make it…I can make it!") He was moving so fast that if he were to run into something solid he'd most likely injure himself, but that was fine to him. ("I will make it on time. I found my purpose, dad…and it's to protect this village. Which means that I will succeed!")

_------------_

"Next up is the assignment for team eight. We have Yurei Akurei, Kai Otogi, and…"

The door at the back of the classroom exploded open and Kin came barreling into the room. "I'm here!"

"…" The teacher went silent, as did the rest of the class. They all stared at Kin like he was insane. "…and Kin Watanabe."

Blushing brightly, Kin brushed back some of his hair. "I made it on time, good. Could you please…tell me who my teammates are again?"

Everyone in the room face-fell.

_----------------_

Kin growled and looked down at the piece of paper in front of him. ("My teammates are Kai and Yurei? More importantly, my teammate is Kai?") His fist clenched tighter, nearly breaking his pencil as he scribbled across the page. ("I can't believe I'm teammates with that…that…") Snapping his gaze to his left, he glared at the subject of his ire, who was sitting just a few feet away from him.

Kai had always been the silent, cool member of the class. He'd been the guy to always succeed, and Kin hated him for it. No matter what Kai did, it was always considered excellent.

And this left Kin in no other position. ("I hate the smug bastard…")

Kai brushed back his long black hair and readjusted his forehead protector, the symbol of Konoha displayed proudly on it. "Is there something you are looking at on me?"

Kin looked back down at his paper. ("Maybe I should just get over my hatred of him…I mean, we're teammates now.") He started to lift his head up to look at Kai. "Hey…"

"Class dismissed." The teacher pointed at the door. "Your meeting times for your instructor are listed in the hall."

Kin looked back over where Kai had been…and he was gone. ("What the? When did he…how did he…")

_------------_

Kai shoved his hands into his pockets and walked across the courtyard of the school slowly. ("We meet our instructor tommorow in the morning. Good, I'd like to get this started sooner rather than later.") His brown eyes glimmered in the sunlight. "Though, it's such a shame that one of my teammates is Kin. He is such a weakling that even a small child could beat him. After all, he is the great ninja of mediocrity. He doesn't even have any special techniques…just the basic ones learned by all of us."

Kin couldn't take it anymore. "Don't talk about me when I'm not…" He paled from his spot behind a nearby tree.

Kai was standing right in front of him calmly. "I'm not a fool. I knew exactly where you were. And you just failed the first test."

"What test are you talking about?" Kin felt depressed because he knew what he had done. He had lost his cool when he had been trying to be stealthy and had wound up revealing himself.

"I wanted to see if you could at least not get riled up by insults. But apparently not," Kai turned away and walked off. "It's sad to think you'll be watching my back during missions."

"Hold it!" Kin pointed at the boy's back. "I won't let you insult me and get away with it! I challenge you to a fight!"

Kai stopped in his tracks and tilted his head behind him, smiling calmly. "A fight? Me?"

"Yeah. I'll prove to you that I'm worth more than you think." Kin removed his green vest and threw it aside, his undershirt rustling in the light wind. "Well? Do you accept?"

"Fine…if just because I want to knock the silly notion that you are worth anything out of your head." Adjusting his black shirt and shorts, Kai drew a kunai from out of his side-pack. "Ready?"

Kin drew his own kunai. "Let's see what you've…" He blinked in surprise. "Huh? Where'd you go?" His opponent had disappeared into thin air.

"I'm right behind you, fool." Kai whispered into Kin's ear, and tapped the boy's neck with the tip of his kunai. "And I believe that I have just won. In record time, no less."

Kin smiled slightly. "You haven't even gotten close to winning." He exploded in a burst of white smoke.

Kai barely reacted. ("_Kawarimi no Jitsu? _Or was it _Bunshin no Jitsu?_") He stepped back and snapped the kunai up in front of him, eyes searching around for where Kin really was.

"You're too quick to judge!" Someone leapt out of the white smoke cloud and snapped their kunai down at Kai's shoulder. He managed to catch the blade onto his own, and now they were locked in a struggle.

("He used a simple smoke effect to make me think he had used a higher level technique…how stupidly clever.") Kai's brown eyes met Kin's multi-colored ones. "Let me show you though, that you can't expect dumb luck to answer all of your problems!" Ducking and driving forward, his elbow crashed into the boy's stomach and sent him rolling away. ("Now let's see you deal with this!") Sliding the kunai back into his side-pack, he began to make the necessary seals to perform the technique he had in mind.

Kin kept rolling, his eyes closed. ("There's no way I can compete with this guy…unless…") He frowned at the line of thought he was having. ("I shouldn't…but I'm going to. Dad, forgive me for using it more than once in a week.") Kicking his legs out, he broke the roll and came up facing Kai. "Bring it on!"

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jitsu_," As Kai finished the seals he snapped his hand up to his mouth and took a deep breath.

Kin blinked a couple of times at this. ("What's he…")

Exhaling, Kai literally breathed out a rolling ball of fire that enveloped the green-haired boy.

Throwing up his arms to protect his eyes, Kin tried to make himself as small of a target as possible. A few moments later the fire died out and he rolled around, trying to extinguish it as quickly as he could. "What kind of technique was that?"

"It was a fireball technique…why? Are you that surprised that I can do it?" Kai snickered. "Then you're in for more surprises than that. For example, how about I use another of my fire techniques?" He began to make a new set of seals, though honestly he planned on performing the fireball technique again. What he was hoping to do was to make Kin attack before he could finish the seals.

Kin narrowed his eyes. ("Luckily I have almost all of my chakra, so I have two minutes of time on it.") His fingers became a blur, almost leaving after-images of themselves.

Kai's eyes widened, though his hands didn't slow at all. ("Those seals…what is he doing?")

"Here we go Kai…let me show you the true power of the Watanabe family…" Kin finished the last seal. "_Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jitsu!_" Wisps of white silk appeared floating around him. "Now watch closely." A slight smile crossed his face…and he disappeared.

Kai couldn't comprehend what had happened until he was already on his back. Kin was standing over him. "What in the…how did you…" Kicking his leg out, he expected to hit resistance. Instead he was launched upwards like a missile. ("This is impossible…he couldn't have a quicker reaction time than me!") Curling into a ball, he pushed out just a small amount of chakra to control his spin so that he could land on his feet. "Where are you?"

"Right behind you," Kin whispered into his opponent's ear. "Surprised?"

"I'll take you down!" Kai spun around and launched a roundhouse kick with all of his strength, but he kept spinning because Kin was already gone. ("What is this? How did he become so fast?") Pulling his leg in he landed in a crouch. ("And more importantly…")

"Yo." Kin tapped Kai on the head. "What's the matter? You look frustrated."

Trying to ignore the vein that was bulging out of his forehead, Kai punched out and hit only air. "Damn you! Stop toying with me! How are you doing this?"

("I've got a minute and thirty seconds…plenty of time.") Kin appeared in front of Kai. "I'm been hiding my real power…what do you think?"

"I think you're a fool for playing games…because I'm playing this seriously." Reaching into his shirt pocket, Kai pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. Sliding into a fighting stance, he brought a hand up and motioned for Kin to come at him. "Now mediocrity, let's see what you can do when I play seriously."

"I'll show you mediocrity…" Clenching his fist, Kin disappeared.

Kai started to slowly turn his head. ("I see…I see what you are doing. By pumping a huge amount of chakra into your running muscles, you are able to move faster than sound. However, such a technique mustn't last that long, I'd gather. So…") Snapping a hand out he caught Kin's fist and locked onto it tightly.

Meanwhile, Kin was trying to recover from shock that someone had been able to stop a punch from him while he was in White Wind Angel. Tugging his fist a couple of times, he growled. "Let go…" He got ready to run over his opponent.

Kai calmly held up a kunai in his other hand. "You might trample me, but I'll make sure this digs into your vital organs when you do so."

("Only have a minute…") Kin couldn't believe he was going to have to do this. ("This technique…I've got no choice! It's time for the Angel Bomb Combo.") Despite the drops of sweat sliding down his cheek, he smiled coldly. "Here we go Kai." Kicking one foot out he drove the toe into the other boy's right foot.

Kai looked at him questioningly through the thick sunglasses. "What are you doing?"

"I'm about to teach you how to fly…" Kin's foot shot upwards, striking four sensitive spots across the front of Kai's body. Then it finished the blow by kicking him in the chin, sending him shooting up into the air a few feet. "…so brace yourself!" Hopping back a few feet, he grimaced. ("Forty…")

As Kai's vision came back into focus he realized that the arc of the kick had put him a position where he was upside-down. And thanks to that he saw the whirlwind that was spinning around his still air-born body. ("What is he doing? Why is just running around in a circle?")

Kin reached out with his senses and checked the strength of the whirl. ("It's good…almost enough.") The first part of the combo was to get the enemy stunned and into the air. Second was to run as quickly as he could in a circle around the enemy and create a small whirlwind. ("Now to tighten the circle…") Adjusting his running arc, he closed the whirlwind around Kai's body and propelled his opponent upwards within the wind funnel. ("And now for part three.") Letting out his chakra, he slid to a stop and leapt into the air. While his energy kept the whirlwind spinning, he was already up at the peak of it about twenty feet in the air. "This is the end Kai! _Kaze Tenshi Rendan_!"

Kai, even though he was locked in an insane spin in the air, saw Kin's approaching dropkick. ("If he controls this whirlwind…then that means he's using it to speed up his fall. The blow will most likely injure me badly…")

Kin's face reflected the determination he felt now. ("I have twenty seconds left…but it's over!") His falling heel slammed into Kai's side, and the whirlwind showed its purpose as it suddenly adjusted directions, pulling them both towards the ground at full speed. But Kai was locked in a position where he was going to buffer Kin's fall.

"I'm not beaten!" Kai snapped his arms out and pushed all of his chakra into his next move. And the whirlwind's direction began to reverse again.

("He is wresting control of the whirlwind from me!") Kin let out his energy to try and stop it from happening. ("Come on…I can't let him beat me…") He pushed out all of his remaining energy as well.

And the whirlwind found that it was pushing against itself…and dissipated. Both boys crashed to the ground and rolled away from each other.

Kin already felt cold all over. His White Wind Angel technique was off and he had no chakra left.

Kai felt tired, but he knew he could keep fighting if he wanted to. And he planned on it. Removing his sunglasses, which somehow did not get removed while he was trapped in the whirlwind, he folded them up and slid them back into his shirt. "Now I'm going to beat you senseless…" Standing, he expected another impossibly fast attack to come…but nothing happened.

Kin stood up slowly, feeling dizzy. ("Crap…he was right. Because I played around now I'm going to lose…")

Kai started to approach slowly…and then stopped. "It seems like the third member of our group has shown himself. I was wondering where you had gone…Yurei." He looked over at another black long-haired boy who had his back against a tree. "So, was it entertaining to just stand there and watch us fight?"

Yurei coolly looked over at Kai with his aquamarine slotted eyes. "Eh…it was mildly entertaining. But I suppose it is over…"

Kai glanced over at the barely standing Kai. "Yes…he's all out of cha…" His words froze in his mouth…because Kin was charging him full speed. ("The fool…how does he have the endurance to run like that…")

Kin cocked back his fist, eyes locked onto Kai. ("I will not lose to you!") Throwing a punch at Kai's head, he already understood it was going to get countered.

Kai, his body still tired after the earlier struggle, could only snap his head out of the way so that the punch went high. ("This can't be…I can feel more chakra coming off of him…")

Kin was about to drive forward with another punch…but stumbled back as he was struck in the stomach by a kick.

"That's enough…you two should conserve energy for tommorow." Yurei crossed his arms across his chest confidently. "Alright? I think that Kin proved his worth today, wouldn't you say Kai?"

"He proved nothing," Turning, Kai walked across the courtyard and towards his home. ("Though now I know to be more careful of that speed of yours…next time I'll be ready for it.")

Yurei turned to look at Kin and smiled slightly. "You did well…do you need help getting home?"

"No…I'm fine." Kin watched Kai's back coldly. ("But I will be ready next time. You won't counter my combo that easily.") Walking over to his vest, he slid it on and looked up at the afternoon sky. ("But what's weird…is that I have chakra left. I should be out cold after using the White Wind Angel…but I'm not…")

"I'll see you tommorow then." Yurei turned and walked off.

Kin barely heard him, his thoughts too muddled. How was it possible for him to burn out all of his chakra…and yet get it back so easily?

_To be continued…_


	4. Aiko the Light Ninja

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 4: Aiko, the light ninja

Birds chirped loudly in the morning light, and dew collected on the leaves of the nearby trees in the ninja academy's courtyard.

"He's late…" Kai rested his back against a nearby tree.

"Does it surprise you at all?" Yurei's wild eyes looked around the courtyard, tracking the movement of every creature that was nearby.

"No…which is a shame. I must admit that he impressed me slightly with his speed." Kai slid on his sunglasses and sighed. "What did you think of his ability?"

"It is interesting…he moved too fast for my eyes to track…" Yurei closed his eyes and let the sun shine down on him. "However, it is sad that he allowed you to gain control over his finishing technique. If he had succeeded with that attack, you might not be here right now."

Letting out a little scoff noise, Kai looked over at the school. "So it's the end of our trials, isn't it? From this point onward we are free of that stupid place…" ("However, we're not home free yet. But I trust my skills enough to get me through this.")

_------------_

Kin sighed contently and slid deeper into the bathtub. "There's nothing better than a nice hot bath in the morning. Especially after how tired I got when I fought Kai." A few memories flashed in his head. ("On that note, I need to remember to strengthen the Angel combo so that my opponent can't counter it like he did.") His muscles began to relax. ("For now though…it's time to enjoy the bath…") Looking down at his chest, he tilted his head to the side at what he saw. ("There's a scar?")

Right in the space in between his ribs there was a red scar. ("When did that happen? I don't remember even being attacked in the ribs.") As he ran his finger along it, he felt a tingle of warmth run up his arm. ("Maybe I should have it looked at…")

"Kin! You know that it's nine o'clock right?"

There was the sound of splashing and then doors opening and closing quickly. "I'm late!"

_-----------_

Kai heard Kin long before the boy had entered the courtyard of the school. ("You're so loud…how do you expect to be a ninja?")

Finishing tying his hair up into a pony-tail, Kin charged into the courtyard and when he saw Yurei and Kai took a moment to wring some of the excess water out of his hair. "Good morning."

Yurei shook his head sadly. "You need to work on your timing…or else what's the point of becoming part of team eight?"

Frowning, Kin looked up at the sky. "Hey…I'm not that bad am I?"

"You're slightly less than horrible, if that is what you are asking." Kai stood up and brushed himself off. "However, that means nothing. You're still sub-par."

Kin met eyes with the boy he had fought yesterday. "Would you like to prove that with another hand to hand match?"

Snickering, Kai started to walk away. "You wouldn't be worth the time."

"That's not how it seemed yesterday, when I was moving so fast that you couldn't keep up." Returning the snicker, Kin cracked his knuckles. "Come on, let's do it…"

"That's enough, or would you like our instructor to see the two of you quarreling so early in the morning?" Yurei glared at both of them.

"Honestly, I wouldn't mind it very much," A female voice said from the wall right behind him. "They seem so spirited."

A single drop of sweat slid down the neck of all three boys. They didn't even hear anyone approaching them.

Dropping down next to Yurei, the woman stood up slowly. She wore a body-covering set of ninja gear, vest and all. Her eyes were covered by her forehead protector, leaving all three of them wondering how she could see. But what was most surprising was her hair. It was long, and seven different colors. Red, orange, green, blue, indigo, purple and yellow…

Kin stared at the hair like it was talking to him. ("What the heck…is that? Who'd dye their hair that many colors?")

Kai frowned. ("Our instructor is a clown?")

Yurei narrowed his eyes. ("Interesting…but how can you see us?")

The woman walked over and patted Kin and Kai on the head. "Behave now…or else I won't take you under my wing. My name is Aiko."

"Just Aiko? Don't you have a last name?" Kai started to feel less trusting of this person already.

"No, I don't," she answered calmly. "I am simply called Aiko. Is there a problem with that?" Her head tilted to look at Kai, and though he couldn't see her eyes he felt like he was being evaluated.

"Yes…there is." Yurei stepped forward. "How can we be sure that you are a Jounin of this village?"

"I'm wearing my forehead protector, am I not?" Aiko turned her head to aim at him. "Why is there such distrust amongst all of you?"

"Because…" Yurei stopped himself, letting the words play in his mind. ("Because you can see us with your eyes covered…and I find that unnerving.")

Aiko walked towards the wall of the courtyard, away from all of them. Now that they could see her clearly they could tell that she couldn't be much older than twenty-four or twenty-five. And she was slim…definitely a ninja by the way she walked. "Are you boys going to stop staring at me like I'm a freak?"

"I would stop staring at you like you're a freak, but you are." Kai smirked slightly as she stopped in mid-step. "After all…"

"So I'm a freak huh?" Aiko started to laugh quietly. "Then perhaps you'd like to dismount the 'freak' from her position of power?"

"I'd love to…" Drawing a kunai, Kai slowly approached her back. ("She's thinking to make a fool of me in front of those two to prove her skill…well she'll find herself hard-pressed to make me seem weak.") He didn't intend to win, but he intended to make her struggle to disarm him.

Aiko turned around and brought the insignia on her forehead protector over to look at him. "You're walking so slowly…what's the matter? Are you expecting me to simply stand here and let you take me down?" Her lips lifted a little. "You should know better than that."

"I'm just waiting for my opportunity…which should be here shortly…" Kai silently made the seals for his fireball technique.

Tilting her head back a little, Aiko smiled more. "Ahh…I see."

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jitsu_!" Kai tilted his head back and sucked in his breath.

Aiko snapped her hands up and made three seals. "Counter."

When Kai exhaled, only air came out. ("What? She negated my technique?")

"Surprised that I could do that?" Aiko started to walk towards him. "Would you like to try another Ninjitsu against me?"

Kai snapped his hand up and threw his kunai at her head.

She caught it by the ring and started to spin it on her finger. "That was entertaining, but otherwise pointless. If you trying to distract me then you should have used something sound-based."

He growled deep in his throat. ("You're mocking me…") After a couple of short breaths he calmed down. "You are our instructor…you must be…"

"That's right, I am." She turned and started to walk out of the courtyard. "Shall we go, gentlemen?"

Slowly, each of the members of team eight followed.

_----------_

An hour later they all sat on a patio in front of Aiko's home. She sat back in her chair and tilted her head to each of them. "Well, tell me a little about yourselves."

Kin stepped forwards and smiled slightly. "I'm Kin Watanabe. I intend to become strong so that I can protect Konoha, just like my father wanted me to. I'm one of the most skilled there is in the speed department."

"You think you're fast, hmm?" Aiko quirked her lips. ("We shall see…you'll need that speed soon enough.")

"Of course I'm fast…" Kin started to argue, but was cut off by Kai.

"I am Kai Otogi. My talents are numerous and my skill is unrivaled by any other member of the current Genin," Resting his back against a banister, he closed his eyes. "That is all."

("And I know all about you…and things not even you know…") Aiko tilted her head over at Yurei. "And you?"

Yurei looked out at the grass. "I am Yurei Akurei…that is all."

Aiko frowned slightly, but otherwise didn't respond. ("Kin is foolish, Kai is egotistical, and Yurei simply doesn't wish to be understood. What a great group I have gotten…") She stood up. "My name is simply Aiko. I am your instructor. That is all."

Kin looked from one member of his group to the next. ("Sheesh…everyone is so cold-hearted…") "So what now?"

"What now?" Aiko smirked and turned away from them. "We're going on a little trip. Just out into the nearby wilderness. So come along…" As she walked off, they all followed her slowly. Something about the tone in her voice spoke of her being greatly entertained.

_----------_

An hour later they were near the memorial stone of Konoha, which was built in memory of all brave ninja who had lost their lives while on missions.

Aiko stood in front of the stone and looked to her three students. "Well boys…come at me."

Kin and Yurei blinked in surprise, while Kai looked all too happy to do so. "Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter? I want you to come at me. All at once, one at a time, however you wish and with whatever attacks you wish…" She casually took an apple out of her vest pocket, shined it, and started eating. "I'll even pre-occupy myself so that it's easier for you."

"But teacher…" Kin's protests were cut off as Kai shot past him, kunai in hand. "What are you doing?"

"You heard the teacher!" Grinning darkly, Kai threw the weapon with all of his strength.

Aiko tilted her hand up, the kunai stabbing into the apple and cutting it into two even pieces. Grabbing the still-moving weapon, she began to juggle it along with the two apple halves. "Thank you very much for cutting my lunch, but I though I said…"

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Kai exhaled a fireball that engulfed the woman. ("I don't know how you countered my technique before, but this time I was ready. You can't counter if your hands are full.") Cutting off the stream of fire, he smiled coldly and drew another kunai. "Now, let's…" He was cut off as an apple half hit him in the side of the head.

"Now that wasn't very nice…trying to trick me…" Aiko smiled from her seat in a nearby tree. "Perhaps you'd like to…"

Kin kicked her in the side of the head. ("Oh no! I thought she was going to dodge it!") Grabbing a branch, he readjusted his momentum and back-flipped to the ground. But Aiko was already gone. ("There's no way…that hit her temple…")

"Very sneaky Kin…but not sneaky enough." Aiko stood just a few feet away.

Kin already knew that this was out of their league. "Why do you want us to fight you?"

"It's very simple…" She walked around slowly, head aimed off in the distance. "Beat me or you won't see a single mission."

"What?" Both Kai and Kin glared at her.

"You heard me…or perhaps you need to clean out your ears?" Aiko turned her back to both of them.

"Why you…" Kin began to perform the seals for the White Wind Angel.

Yurei snapped his hand out and grabbed the boy's hands. "No…don't waste your energy. Or have you not noticed something simple about our foe?"

"Simple?" Kin looked at Aiko…and realized that her hair was pure blue. "What in the…"

"I see you figured my technique out…" Another Aiko emerged from the fire that Kai had created, her hair orange.

"But you have yet to master the way to combat it…" Another Aiko dropped from the tree, her hair green.

Kin stepped back, feeling his back touch Kai's and Yurei's. Though he didn't like Kai at all, they knew that being back to back was the best choice in this situation. "What is this…I mean…"

The orange-haired Aiko stepped forward. "_Niji Bunshin no Jitsu_. This technique manipulates my energy through a chakra prism, splitting my strength into seven equal pieces. More or less, there are seven copies of me…but at least these seven might be possible to beat."

"You can't expect us to actually defeat a Jounin, can you?" Yurei didn't bother to draw a weapon. He had other plans if that is what it came to.

"I expect each of you to defeat one of my rainbow replications…otherwise you'll have no chance in the real world. Now then…" The green-haired replication lifted up one finger under her chin. "Catch me if you can." All three of them disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

_To be continued…_

To Arathir: Kai was a submitted character by my friend, so I'm not copying Sasuke on purpose.

To Shang: Well thank you very much.

To Wolfy: Errr…no problem.


	5. Finding Unity in distaste

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

White Angel

Chapter 5: Finding Unity in distaste

_The orange-haired Aiko stepped forward. "Niji Bunshin no Jitsu. This technique manipulates my energy through a chakra prism, splitting my strength into seven equal pieces. More or less, there are seven copies of me…but at least these seven might be possible to beat."_

"_You can't expect us to actually defeat a Jounin, can you?" Yurei didn't bother to draw a weapon. He had other plans if that is what it came to._

"_I expect each of you to defeat one of my rainbow replications…otherwise you'll have no chance in the real world. Now then…" The green-haired replication lifted up one finger under her chin. "Catch me if you can." All three of them disappeared in a burst of white smoke._

Yurei frowned and cursed under his breath. "This is a problem…though I pride myself on my ability to read chakra…I can't track her. If what she says is true then there should at least be some kind of weakness to her move…but it is perfect in form. I can't see a way to exploit its activation…"

Kai scoffed and slipped his sunglasses on. "Don't worry; I have a feeling like I'll be able to see through her technique with ease. I'm good at that kind of thing." Stepping forward, he started to march towards the nearby trees. "Believe me…I'll succeed at this. Losing isn't an option. I've gotten too far…"

"No, you fool." Yurei growled under his breath. "She's all around us…"

"All around…" Kai looked back at him…and was punched right in the face from the front. All he caught was a flash of red and then he slid along the ground, dirt spraying around him. ("That was faster than my reaction time…far too fast…") Rolling, he came up with a kunai drawn. But honestly, he knew it would do him good against this kind of opponent. ("She's not holding back…is she?")

"You shouldn't have broken away from the group, Kai." Aiko whispered gently into his ear. "It was a bad choice on your part…" A single strand of yellow hair could be seen out of the corner of his eye.

"And now you have to pay for your bad choice," another voice whispered into his other ear. "I'd say sorry…but I'm not." A wisp of indigo hair caught his other eye. And then he couldn't see much…but he felt a lot. Blow after blow was landed on his body roughly.

Yurei stared at the fact that Kai looked like he was floating a foot in the air. "I can't keep up…"

"A left hit to the fifth rib…a kick to the side…a punch to the chin…" Kin's eyes watched Kai's body in awe. "She's incredible…"

"You can keep up with her movements?" Yurei quickly understood the logic behind that. After all, Kin's special skill was the incredible speed of his bloodline limit. And therefore his body would have to be capable of amazing speeds without the bloodline limit activated for the limit to do any good.

"Barely…she's like a blur. But I can tell where she's hitting him from the impact marks on his body." Sweat began to bead on his forehead. "But…so fast…"

"Can you keep up with her if you activate your limit?" Yurei's mind was trying to calculate possible ways to turn this around, but so far every possibility spoke only of them charging into a trap set up by the remaining rainbow replications.

"No…her speed is so controlled compared to mine…" Kin eyes widened as he saw a flash of Aiko's real body, but then it returned to a blur. "She's keeping a tight circle around him…so that he can't fight back. When I activate my limit every step is like taking twenty…so I'd need room to fight. Honestly, her speed at the moment is slower than mine when I activate my limit. However, with her agility I couldn't hope to land a hit on her no matter how much chakra I pumped into myself. I'd need her to hold still…"

"That's enough…" Yurei didn't need to feel anymore depressed. ("How can she expect us to fight a ninja of her level?") He mentally reviewed his Ninjitsu…and saw only one technique that would help. ("My best…_Kage Bunshin no Jitsu_…but creating solid replications is useless against her speed. Numbers aren't going to make the difference.") "Kin…how does Kai's body look at the moment?"

"She's not going all out," Kin's pupils contracted as he pushed himself to track her movements. "No…not yet at least. Every blow is only partially damaging. If she wanted him dead then he would be."

"I know that…killing us wouldn't accomplish anything except her expulsion from Konoha." Yurei kept his senses focused on locating the rest of the replications. "I mean, can he still fight?"

"Yes."

"Then we're going." Snapping up his kunai, Yurei ran past Kin and charged towards Kai. ("If he takes much more damage then we'll lose him…")

"So eager to leap into your demise, Yurei?" A voice whispered into his ear. "That's a shame…" The red-haired Aiko replication snapped her leg up to strike him right in the ribs.

Yurei smiled slightly. "You just made a mistake." As the knee drove into his rib, he exploded into a burst of white smoke.

Aiko wasn't surprised. ("It's just a replacement…he must be nearby…") As the smoke cleared, she saw the truth though. There was nothing there. ("It was a shadow…") Something sharp slammed into her neck deeply…and she disappeared in a burst of red smoke.

_------_

From her position in the trees, the purple-haired Aiko smiled slightly. "Incredible…he knows how to create shadow replications. Not only that, but he created one at the start of the day. He's been trailing his own replication just for this occasion…and was hiding."

"But he must be nearby. That kunai was thrown by him, so he's close. And while he got one of us, that means nothing. Kin and Kai have to each beat one of us." The orange-haired Aiko stood up and looked to the blue and green-haired versions of herself. "We three will deal with Yurei and make sure he causes no problems. Can you take Kin?"

The purple-haired Aiko disappeared.

_-------_

Kin's brain took a few seconds to realize what Yurei had done. ("That was a smart move…")

"Pay attention, fool!" The purple-haired Aiko appeared in front of him and slammed her palm into his chest. There was a burst of smoke and a log went flying into a tree. "Do you think that a replacement will surprise me?"

"I don't know…" Kin stood a few feet from her right. "But I intend to try and take you down right here and right now." Sliding into a fighting stance, he took a deep breath to relax his eyes.

She took her own stance, arms to both of her sides. "Are you saying that you intent to fight me without your bloodline limit's speed increase? Isn't that quite foolish?"

"No…it's the smartest thing I can do." Kin took a few calming breaths. "If I activated White Wind Angel then I'd lose instantly. Your speed is incredible…and your agility is superb. You have such a synergy with them that you can move at speeds slightly slower than my max and keep full body movement in place. There's almost no chance of me beating you if I take my own agility out of the equation."

"You can't actually expect to beat me then, can you?" Leaping forward, her fist came a few inches from his face and she disappeared.

Kin felt the fist slam against the back of his head. But he barely reacted except that as he fell he turned and pushed off the ground. ("I'll keep up with you…I will…") Pushing off of the ground, he launched himself a foot into the air. He saw her for a moment, and then she disappeared. ("If it kills me, I'll figure out how you are able to move so fast.")

_---------------_

Kai dropped to his knees, aching all over. ("She hits so hard…but that means nothing…") Slowly, he stood up. ("Because I am determined…I will win!")

Both replications stood a few feet from his front and back. "So, do you surrender?"

"Let me answer that with this…" He pushed his sunglasses up farther on his face. ("I'll figure it out…just you watch.") Widening his eyes, he observed the movements of the replication right in front of him. "Here we go!" Sliding into a fighting stance, he disappeared.

"You think to match us?" Both replications disappeared in bursts of white smoke.

"I'll do more than match you!" Kai appeared above the yellow-haired replication, falling into a drop-kick.

She side-stepped, grabbed his leg, and threw him through the air. "Foolish child."

Crashing into the dirt, Kai rolled to his feet and smiled slightly. "Foolish? Actually…"

The yellow-haired Aiko's eyes widened as she heard a hissing noise coming from her shoulder. ("An exploding tag…") Then she disappeared in a blast of fire and smoke.

Kai turned around and began to walk away. "I win."

"Yeah, sure you do." The yellow-haired Aiko appeared in front of him. "I'm not easily beaten."

"Then bring it on." Kai lifted his hand and motioned for her to come.

_-----------------_

Yurei could sense that he was being tracked. At this rate he would be run down. ("However, I have already defeated my necessary replication. I must simply keep the rest of them occupied.") As a pair of shurikens shot past his head though, he realized he might never get the chance to take his first mission with team eight at this rate.

_-------------------_

Kin slid backwards, managing to actually deflect the punch off of his arm this time. ("I'm getting the hang of your movements…I can win this!")

Aiko brushed back some of her purple hair and struck a coy pose, showing off her slim figure. "Aren't you a cheeky little boy, trying to match my speed without your limit?"

"I'll show you cheeky…" Kin closed his eyes. ("I have to do this right or else I'll burn out some of my chakra…") He began to make the seals necessary for this technique with his hands. ("It's dangerous to use, but I'll make it work!") "_Suiton; Aumizu Iruka no Jitsu_!"

("Blue Water Dolphin?") Aiko took a step back. ("What's this? Some kind of warped version of his White Wind Angel technique?")

Kin closed his eyes, and then opened them slowly. Something about him seemed different. "Let's go…" He charged at full speed towards her, eyes cold and emotionless. Sliding to a stop, he threw a punch at her head.

Ducking under it, Aiko disappeared and appeared right behind him. Snapping both of her fists up, she prepared to drive a hammer blow right down onto the back of his neck. "This is the end!"

With impossible speed Kin broke the momentum of his punch and turned to face her. "Really?" His knee shot up and caught her in the stomach. "I'll show you the truth…when it comes to speed I can match all opponents!"

Gasping for air, Aiko barely had time to react when his fist snapped out and slammed into her jaw, sending her shooting back a few feet. Rubbing at her delicate skin, she frowned. ("Blue Water Dolphin must allow him to use his chakra to increase his reaction time…what an incredible skill he has…but he's lost the element of surprise with it.") "Now I know the truth. And the truth is that you can't use any Ninjitsu, can you? All you can do is increase the abilities of your physical body and use Taijitsu…" She began to make seals with her hands. "Then I know just how to deal with you!"

"Not before I take you down!" Kin charged again, his eyes locked on her body. No matter which way she went he would follow her.

Stepping aside, she continued to make the seals while he ran past her. ("Interesting…why didn't he attack with his increased reaction time?")

Stumbling, Kin clutched at his head. ("I didn't do it right…it shut off prematurely…") Forcing himself to stand up, he began to make a new set of seals. ("I can't let you…")

"It's too late to activate your true speed…_Nijiryu no Jitsu_!" Different bright colors began to swirl around her form. "Get ready…"

Kin smiled gently. "I'm ready…trust me…"

Aiko gasped in surprise as something heavy slammed into her back, dispelling the technique. ("What? How did he do that?")

Kai cried out as he was stopped from his forced flight by the replication. ("Damn…she's too fast…")

Kin knew it was luck, but he was glad that these replications weren't as coordinated as he had feared. "Here we go! _Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jitsu_!" Wisps of white silk appeared around his body.

The yellow-haired Aiko that had been fighting Kai gasped in surprise as Kin appeared right in front of her. ("You fool…") Forcefully throwing her body aside she dodged a kick that, at his speed, would have most likely knocked her unconscious. ("I'm agile enough to easily avoid your attacks…")

Kin disappeared, and began to run a circle around her. ("Kai…now's your chance!")

Stumbling to his feet, Kai saw what was going on and charged at the still fallen purple-haired Aiko. "There's the opening I needed!"

Clutching at her skull, the purple-haired replication didn't have the balance to counter-attack.

Kai's fist hurtled towards her, but the green-haired replication appeared next to him and grabbed his hand. "Where did you…" His voice caught in his throat as he was punched right in the solar plexus.

("Oh no…") Kin broke out of his whirlwind and appeared next to the green-haired Aiko. "Take…" The rest of his sentence was cut off as the blue-haired Aiko appeared behind him and locked him into a sleeper hold. ("No…I can't hold still…")

The purple-haired Aiko stood up and brushed herself off. "Well that was close. You almost had me too, but you didn't consider the interference from my other selves did you?"

Kin screamed in pain as white fire began to consume his arm. "Let me go!"

The blue-haired replication tightened her clutch to his neck. "No."

Gritting his teeth, Kin struggled to get away. "Do…you have any idea…what you are doing?"

"I'm detaining you…" The blue-haired Aiko paled slightly as Kin's body became covered in a white fire. It didn't burn…but something was wrong.

Kin closed his eyes. "Then I'll take you with me!" And then an explosion of chakra released from him, blowing the blue, purple and yellow-haired replications apart into bursts of respectively colored smoke.

Kai bounced a couple of times from the shockwave, but quickly recovered. "What was…?" He gasped as the smoke from the blast cleared to show Kin face-down in the dirt, smoke rising from patches of burnt flesh all over his body.

The green, indigo and orange-haired replications appeared near him. "Interesting…so if he can't burn off the chakra that his body releases, then he has no choice but to let it out like a bomb would."

Kai turned to face the three remaining ones…and then picked his sunglasses up off of the ground, slipping them on. "Here we go, Aiko!"

All three of them stepped back. "You still want to fight?"

Kai drew a kunai. "You're damned right I still want to fight! Let's end this!" Charging, he brought his eyes to bear on the three of them. ("One chance…only one chance…") He dove…and stabbed the kunai as hard as he could into the ground between the three of them. "_Kunai Honoo no Jitsu_!" Using his free hand he pushed off and launched into a whirlwind kick. While all three of the replications dodged the attack, he landed on his feet and dove at the green-haired replication wildly.

She stepped aside and punched him right in the gut on his way by. "You're too weak…"

Coughing up a few drops of blood, Kai bounced along the ground and came up standing. "Actually…"

The kunai exploded and sprayed the three replications with red-hot pieces of steel. Each one realized their mistake…and then exploded into bursts of colored smoke.

Kai took a relaxing breath…and sat down on the ground. "It's done…finally…" A strange hissing noise caught his attention. Tilting his head over to look at Kin's body, he blinked a couple of times and removed his sunglasses. "What in the hell is that?"

All of Kin's burns were slowly disappearing…and a red aura was beginning to surround him. Just as quickly as it was there though, the aura disappeared as soon as Kin's wounds did.

("That's eerie…though I suppose it's little of my concern.") Standing up, Kai heard someone land behind him and smiled. "Where did you go Yurei? Run off without a word to the rest of us huh?"

"Shut up Otogi…" Tugging on his jacket, the wild-eyed boy winced at the scratches all over him. "I've been spending the last ten minutes dodging sharp metal things."

"So, where's the teacher?" Kai began to look around for her, but then he saw her approaching them slowly. Her rainbow hair was done up in a pony-tail and she was smiling gently.

"I must admit…it's a good move. Each of you has shown that you possess amazing skills…" She walked up the two standing members of the group and then tilted her head to look over at Kin. ("Not a wound on him…incredible.") "Well anyway…welcome to group eight." Turning, she walked away with a little smile on her face. "We start tommorow."

Kai glared at her back, while Yurei just growled. ("So nonchalant after nearly killing us…")

Kin's eyes slowly opened. ("Dad…I did it…") Standing slowly, he started to laugh. He was a Genin now…and that meant he was just one step closer. ("I'll avenge your death…I swear it.")

_To be continued…_

Author's Notes: Hey…if you're reading up to this point could you please let me know in a review. I always love the input of the readers, and I'm starting to wonder if anyone is reading this at all.


	6. The First Mission

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 6: The First Mission

As the full moon hung over Konoha, Aiko sat on top of the roof of her one story cottage and looked up at the sky. Her forehead protector was lying at her side, and she sighed at the simple pleasure of the stars. Her two blank white eyes looked up at the twinkling stars with a look of slight happiness at it. "The world is full of dark and evil things…and yet I'm blind to it all. Even as I listen to the crickets chirping in my ears, I know that somewhere in the world something horrible and atrocious is going on. It is a vicious cycle…yet I simply look at the stars and feel my fear disappear."

"Reminiscing again?" A gentle voice asked from nearby.

"Perhaps…" Picking up her forehead protector, Aiko tied it around her eyes and stood up. "Is there something I can do for you, Haru? Or are you just here to bother me while I wax poetic to the moon?"

A dark blue-haired man stepped into sight and tipped his head to her. "I just wanted to let you know that the Hokage is looking for you."

"Why would the Hokage be looking for me?" She walked towards him slowly.

"He said it was important, though I'm not sure what he wants from you." Haru walked a little closer to her. "Listen…do you want to talk about…"

She disappeared in a flash of white smoke.

"I guess not…" Turning, he sighed and walked away slowly. ("It's only been a week since that fateful incident…the poor girl…")

_--------------------_

Kai slowly closed the front door of his home, making sure to avoid making any noise. He'd stayed at the training ground late again and now to avoid the wrath of his mother he'd have to be incredibly quiet.

But even as he stepped inside, he felt his foot tug on something. ("A trap?") His eyes widened as there was a zing noise and something hit him in the face, breaking and spraying him with white powder. ("Marking powder? She'll know that I tried to sneak in…damn it!") The sound of shuffling feet came from upstairs. ("Screw this…") Shoving the door open, he ran down the street and leapt up onto the top of a building. ("I'll just sleep outside tonight…") Something sharp shot past his cheek, leaving a small streak of blood. Paling, he wiped it against the back of his hand and then stared down at the black-clothed form of his mother. ("Uh-oh…I think she's mad at me…")

_---------------------_

Kin kicked his foot straight up at full speed, stretching his feet as far apart vertically as he could. Then he took a deep breath and relaxed his body so that he could hold this position as long as necessary. "Alright mom…let them fly…"

His mother smiled sweetly. "This reminds me so much of the times that I spent with your father…"

"That's nice mom, please let them fly. I'm about to lose concentration…" Kin began to make the necessary seals. "_Suiton; Aumizu Iruka no Jutsu_!" His eyes opened and he saw the twenty apples his mother had thrown into the air all around him at once. ("Now…if I can hold the increased reaction time long enough…") His hands began to move, knocking the apples one by one out of the air. ("I have to keep moving…can't stop or it might dispel…")

Ten apples hit the ground…and ten flew past him and into the pond of the garden.

Growling, Kin dropped his leg to the ground and released his focus on the Blue Water Dolphin technique. ("If there's one bonus to this technique, it's that I can shut it down when I need to because it's so weak at the moment.")

His mother walked up to him and patted him on the head. "Don't worry; you should get much better at it soon. Maybe you should practice dispelling the White Wind Angel instead?"

"No…I have to get the hang of the other three techniques before I start mastering any one of them…" His eyes looked down at each of the apples, which were damaged but not in pieces like he had hoped to make them. "I remember dad's words to me about the legendary technique…"

"You mean the Radiant Paradise technique?" She sighed and ruffled his hair. "You know that it's called a legendary technique for a reason, right? It's a legend…nothing more."

"I know it's possible…as long as I can keep my skills broadened over all four of the elements." Kin frowned at how foolish that sounded, even to his optimistic thoughts on the subject. Every member of the Watanabe clan who possessed the power to activate the element techniques had a body built to use only one of them efficiently. His body was that of a runner's, and therefore he could use the White Wind Angel without any problems. But the remaining three techniques were too much for his body…because it wasn't built to handle the stress to those muscles. ("But I won't give up. Dad believed that someone could learn the Radiant Paradise technique if they equally trained in all four elements long enough.")

According to the legends, the Radiant Paradise was a technique that pumped chakra into every inch of the body, turning the user into a supreme fighter by increasing their speed, reaction time, strength and endurance all at once. Of course, such a thing was nearly impossible. Nothing human had the chakra supply to simply supercharge every aspect of their abilities. Therefore, there had to be a trick to doing it. And he would figure it out…he would. "Hey mom, I'll be in for dinner in a minute."

Nodding, his mother picked up the basket and walked inside. "Don't be out too long dear. You start missions tommorow right?"

"Yeah…" Kin looked up at the stars.

"_He proved nothing," Turning, Kai walked across the courtyard and towards his home. _

("Why does that still bother me? Is it because that was the best I could do and I couldn't impress someone who is supposed to be at the same level as me?") Kin snapped his hands up. Maybe it was time to stop working towards the foolish dream of the Radiant Paradise. He could become a great ninja if he simply focused his full attentions on the White Wind Angel. But every time he thought of that, he thought of his father. ("His wish to see the Radiant Paradise…to see what one had to do to accomplish it.") Placing his hands together, he began to make the seals for Blue Water Dolphin. ("I'll master each of them in turn…and I'll show you what you wanted to see dad.")

_------------_

Kai leapt from rooftop to rooftop, kunai shooting after him at every jump. ("Just run…she's mad at me…just run…")

From behind him, his mother kept up with his speed perfectly. ("Stop running already…I want to see how much you have improved by now that you are a Genin! Stop running…")

Kai flashed a quick three seal combination with his hands, and then disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

His mother stopped running, and sighed. ("Maybe I was a little too forceful with him…")

_--------------_

Kai dropped down onto a wall and took a deep breath. ("I'm finally free from that crazy woman…") Looking over the wall and into the backyard of the home he was bordering, his eyes widened in surprise. ("Well look at this…it's the mediocrity.")

Kin moved his arms as quickly as possible, but it wasn't enough. If he could throw all of the apples up on his own and then slap them out of the air as well, then he knew he'd have the Blue Dolphin Technique mastered. ("But that's impossible, unless you have a body developed for such hand movement.")

Kai watched calmly. ("He's moving fast…but I can track it. Is that supposed to be a technique? If so, it's pitifully pointless.")

Kin watched eleven apples fall right before the Blue Water Dolphin gave out on him. ("I'm nearly out of chakra…so I'd guess it would be best to stop.")

"Is something the matter, mediocrity?" Kai dropped down into the garden.

Kin barely avoided letting his surprise show. "What are you doing here?"

Kai smirked calmly. "I'm watching you make an idiot out of yourself. Do you really expect such a low increase in reaction time to be worth the amount of chakra I felt you give off?"

"Just shut up and go away." Kin fixed a death glare onto him. "You don't know anything about my family. It shows in the fact that you don't understand your own body."

"Excuse me?" Kai lifted one eyebrow. "What are you talking about? I know my body…"

"If you knew your body then you would understand that the way you fight is not taking advantage of it at all." Kin pointed at him. "Also, you'd understand that your build is like mine. When you have a runner's build then you need to use your legs more often."

"I use my legs often enough." Kai extended his senses to make sure that his mother wasn't approaching. "You're the one who needs to understand his limits. How can you pump all of your chakra into your running muscles and expect to do anything more than run around like an idiot?"

Their eyes met, and lightning crackled between them.

"Kin, your dinner is getting cold!" Kin's mother opened the door to the garden and blinked in surprise at who her son was talking to. "Oh, who's this?"

"Ummm…" Kin paled. "Ummm...it's Kai…my teammate."

"Your teammate? Oh how wonderful!" Clapping her hands together, Kin's mother stepped away from the door. "Well then come in Kai. Join us for dinner."

Kai grimaced and turned away. "I'm…"

Kin's arm snapped out and locked him into a head-lock. "I insist…"

_-------------------_

As the three of them sat at the Watanabe dinner table, Kin's mother asked Kai question after question. And through all of it Kin sat silent, eating his food.

"So, does the Otogi family have a long history of ninjas?"

Kai snickered slightly. "Yes…I suppose you could say that."

She slid out of her seat and walked into the kitchen. "Hang on and I'll get dessert."

As soon as she had left the room Kai stood up and began to walk towards the door. The only thing that stopped him was Kin grabbing his elbow. "Where are you going?"

"I didn't want to be here in the first place, and I'm full. Now I'll take my leave of you, since I'm sure that my presence here is what is making you so quiet." Yanking his arm free, Kai began to open the back door. But as he went halfway out the door his nostrils flared at a sweet smell coming from the kitchen. "What's that?"

Kin's mother came into the room holding a small cake in her arms. "Oh…were you leaving Kai?"

After a few moments, Kai stepped back inside and slid the door shut. "No, just getting a little air. But what's the cake for? Do you normally have cake for dessert?"

Kin's mother placed the cake down on the table. "Well…"

"Today is the fifth anniversary of the day that my father was killed. He loved cake in life, and this is our tribute to him on this day." Kin's fingers started to dig into the tabletop.

Kai looked at the cake…and then opened the back door again. "That's such a stupid way to honor the dead…" Then the door slid shut as he walked out into the garden.

"What did you say?" Kin leapt up and shoved the back door open. But Kai was already gone. ("You arrogant…prick…")

_--------------_

Aiko sat on top of her roof again. It had been a short meeting with the Hokage, and now she knew her new mission. ("I'm sure it will be incredibly entertaining…") Resting her back against the tiles, she tilted her forehead protector to face the stars. ("Why am I doing this? What purpose does it serve for me to…")

"_Do it now Aiko!" He held on as tightly as he could, but he felt his grip slipping away. "Please…if you don't…so many children…so many innocent people…will die…" Blood began to flow from his now open shoulder wound._

_Aiko trembled…her hands still stuck in the final set of seals for the killing technique. "Don't make me do that…please don't make me do that…"_

"_Foolish mortals…" The held form struggled against the glowing blue net that held it restricted against the foolish male. "I will break free and…"_

"_DO IT!"_

Aiko sat up and trembled in anger. ("Why did you put me in that position?")

Haru appeared a few feet away from her. "What's the matter?""

"Do you even have to ask?" She didn't move at all.

"Listen…Aiko…it's just that…it wasn't your fault." He began to approach her.

"It wasn't my fault?" She stood up and turned to face him. "You have some guts to say that, considering you were there. You know exactly what I did wrong."

"But that doesn't mean it was your fault…the creature was so powerful…" Haru looked up at the moon, and shivered at memories that flashed through his head. "We shouldn't have been able to stop it, but thanks to his sacrifice we did."

"Do you think I care about whether we stopped it or not?" She disappeared in a burst of smoke.

("No…you care only because you lost him.") Haru looked away. ("I'd feel sorry for you…but I know how much you hate pity.")

_----------------_

Kai sat on top of the roof of his house. ("A cake…how stupid. The dead are already dead…they won't come back if you honor them…") His hand snapped up and caught a kunai that had been hurtling towards his head. "Hello mother…I think I'm ready to fight now." Standing, he turned slowly. "And I hope you're ready, because I feel like going all out."

_To be continued…_


	7. First Mission revealed

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 7: First mission revealed

Kin walked into the restaurant slowly, his vest pulled on tightly around his chest and his eyes glancing around calmly. And sure enough, he saw both Yurei and Kai sitting across form each other at a table near the back. ("There's the arrogant…") Cracking his knuckles, he began his approach.

"Well look at this, he's here on time for once," Yurei said jokingly. "So, are you ready for our first mission?"

"Kai…." Kin pointed right in the black-haired youth's face. "What gives you the right to comment on my father?"

Yurei blinked a couple of times and sighed. "Wow…you two should just fight and get it over with."

"Don't mind if I do!" Kin's finger curled into his fist and he cocked back. "Let me show you what I think of your opinion about my father!"

Kai leapt out of his chair and slammed his forehead right into Kin's nose. "Don't get self-righteous on me."

Kin clutched at his nose and glared at Kai through one eye.

Yurei frowned. ("This could take a while…")

Kin was about to leap again, but was floored by a chair to the back of the head.

Aiko casually placed the chair back down on the floor and rested an elbow on it. Her pure red hair glimmered in the flitting sunlight of the room. "As much as I'd like to see the two of you trash each other, we have things to get done. The mission starts in ten minutes." Dropping a scroll to the table, the replication disappeared in a burst of red smoke.

Yurei picked up the parchment, unrolled it, and began to read. "I will not be going with you on this mission. There are things that I have to get done before I can help you get this done. Not that it matters, you should be able to do this. There is a man named Lieutenant Colonel Eribisumaru who is in command of the militia of the mountain village Ackima. Please escort him to his village safely." Rolling the scroll closed, he sighed. "Escort service? How dull…"

Kin rubbed the back of his head to try and get rid of the rapidly developing lump that was there. "Hey, any mission is a good mission, right?"

"That would be something a mediocrity would say." Kai walked out through the front, pursued by an enraged Kin and a sighing Yurei moment later.

_-------------------_

A few minutes later they arrived at the gate. Standing near the gates was a grey-haired man in plain robes. "So you're the three who are supposed to be escorting me?"

"Yeah, that's us. Do you have a problem with that?" Kin frowned and crossed his arms across his chest. "Believe it or not, we're all very strong."

"Are you? I'll believe that when I see it. This is your first mission right? So you have no idea what real combat, do you?" Eribisumaru rolled his eyes. "I'd probably be safer on my own. You three will just be slowing me…" A strange gargling noise came from his throat and he collapsed to the ground on his face.

Kai, who had been standing behind the man, slung the Lieutenant Colonel over his shoulder. "He's so loud-mouthed…"

"Did you really think it necessary to knock the old man unconscious Kai?" Yurei stepped forward. "He is our client, after all."

"Perhaps so, but our job is to get him to Ackima safely. No more, no less. So if him being out cold means we get him there faster and safer, then what I just did is my job." Turning to face the road, Kai began to walk without the slightest decrease in speed, even though he was carrying a man who was probably heavier than he was over his shoulder.

Yurei and Kin exchanged worried glances, but otherwise didn't argue. They disliked the fact that their client was badmouthing just as much as Kai most likely did.

_----------------_

The sun held high up into the sky, and as noon approached a loud voice could be heard coming towards the mountains in the distance. "I can't believe you'd had the audacity to do that!"

Kai didn't even look at Eribisumaru as he walked along the trail. "You were being uncooperative. As long as you do as we say while you are under our protection, then it will not happen again."

The man growled, but didn't argue. Something about the tone of Kai's voice told him that he would do it if that is what it came to.

Kin rolled his eyes and walked past both of them. "Let's just get this done already."

Yurei trailed behind the group and glanced back behind him. ("We're being followed…") He kept walking, a slight smile on his face. ("Won't they be surprised when I catch them off guard?")

_-------_

A single black shape leapt through the treetops towards the group. As it got closer and closer, it snickered at how easy it was going to be to ambush these fools.

"So, where are you headed in such a hurry?" Yurei leapt right in front of the shadowed form and crossed his arms across his chest. Striking a calm pose, he pointed right at the shadowed person. "Speak up at any time you'd like. Because I'm about to attack!"

Narrowing its eyes, the form stood perfectly still.

"So be it!" Yurei jumped right at them, fist locked back to strike. Slamming his knuckles across the person's face, he blinked in complete surprise. ("I was expecting them to dodge…")

The person stumbled, but otherwise didn't move. "So I see…you're not anything at all."

"Huh?" Yurei stood on the branch with a dumbfounded look on his face, fist still clenched tightly. "I just hit you though…"

"That you did…" Wiping a streak of blood from their face, the person smiled slightly. "I suppose my plans are changed. He said to disable as many of you as I could." The figure dropped down from their branch and into a clearing.

Yurei dropped down after him. And when he got a good look at the person he couldn't have been more surprised. "You're…the same age as me?"

The boy had oily black hair that was flopped over the right side of his face. His eyes were distant and empty-seeming, and as a whole he looked more like a corpse than a human. "Ah yes…I suppose so. It's been so long since I've dealt with anyone of the same age as me." He reached into his vest and pulled out a strange machete-like weapon. "My name is Pain, by the way."

"Pain?" Yurei rolled his eyes. "How much more cliché can you get?"

Pain ran a thumb along the edge of the blade, slicing the skin open and drawing blood. "It doesn't matter, though. You won't live long enough for it to matter."

"Huh?" Yurei frowned. "You don't seem that strong. In fact you look a little malnourished to me."

"I'm not going to beat you down. Oh no…" Pain threw the weapon into the air and began to form seals with his hands.

("I'm a lot faster than you are!") Yurei charged, fist locked back and eyes focused completely on his target. ("I'll take you down right before you can complete the technique…")

Pain smiled darkly. ("Come on then…do what you wish to me…") He barely flinched as the fist crashed into his face, sending him stumbling backwards. It left a huge bruise on his pale cheek.

("This guy is so weak…") Yurei leapt forward and struck again, not giving his opponent the chance to form another technique. ("I'll take you down right now!")

Pain's face was now bloodied and bruised, but he continued to smile darkly. "Sorry…it's over."

"What are you talking about?" Yurei cocked his fist back. "I must have hit you too many…" His voice caught in his throat and he dropped to his knees, clutching his face and crying out in pain.

"I believe you just started to feel the effects of my Voodoo technique…" Pain walked around the floored Yurei and picked up his machete. "Surprised?"

Yurei screamed louder, burying his face into the dirt.

"All I need is a piece of you, such as skin. And you left a bit of skin on me after that first attack. Then I activate the technique and we become physically linked. Any damage I suffer or have suffered in the last hour, you feel as well." Wiping the blood from his machete, Pain held the weapon under an elbow and began to make a new set of seals. "And now for the final setup…you won't survive this…so make prayers to whatever gods you believe in."

"What…do you intend to…do?" Yurei could barely move…it hurt just to speak. The damage he had dealt to Pain was shooting through his whole body.

"It's quite simple…" Pain closed his blackened eyes and finished the technique. "_Fukkatsu no Jutsu_!" Nothing happened though.

("Resurrection technique? But…that can't be. There isn't a technique to revive someone from the dead.") Yurei rolled over onto his back and tried to perform a sit-up. But the pain was still too much.

Taking the machete, Pain looked at the blade and his smile turned from dark to sick. "Perfect…the perfect setting. Don't you think it's a work of art?"

"What are you…doing?" Yurei clutched at his face and stumbled to his feet, dizzy from the force of his own blows.

"It's simple…" Pain lifted the weapon back, its blade pointed at his chest. "I'm going to die."

Yurei felt cold as he watched the weapon rocket towards Pain's chest. ("If he dies…I die…") His feet were moving him towards the other boy, but he already knew that it wasn't going to matter. He wasn't fast enough…

_----------_

Kin stared at Yurei, who was curled up in a ball on the ground. "What's the matter?"

Yurei gasped in pain and then exploded into a burst of white smoke.

"It was a shadow replication…typical…" Kai frowned. That meant that the real Yurei had most likely been behind them the whole time. And he was now in danger. "Kin, watch the Lieutenant Colonel."

"I wouldn't bother going back there if I were you." A calm, strangely familiar voice called out from a little down the path.

All three of them turned to see a black-cloaked form standing in the middle of the road just twenty feet away from them. Kai moved himself to in front of Eribisumaru. "Who are you?"

"I am Pride." The figure drew a long katana from under their cloak, the weapon far too big for their size. They were about the same height as Kai and Kin. "Now then…prepare yourselves! _Kage Tsuki_!" As the male-voice figure yelled this, he disappeared.

Kin looked around wildly. "Where…I didn't see him move…"

Kai removed his sunglasses from his pocket and slid them on. "Kin, get the old man out of here." From behind the shades his eyes widened and he began to follow something out of the corner of his eye. "Go!"

Kin glanced at Eribisumaru. "Come on, let's go!"

"Alright." The man ran on ahead, Kin just a few inches behind him.

Kai hoped he wasn't sending them to their death. ("Sorry, but I need bait…") And sure enough, he saw an after-image of Pride appear right where Eribisumaru was about to go.

The Lieutenant Colonel skidded to a halt as Pride appeared in front of him, katana locked back to strike. ("I'm going to die…")

Kin was too busy back-pedaling to avoid getting trampled to do much more.

Pride snapped the weapon down as hard as he could. "Too slow, fool!" As the weapon began to fall, it was stopped by a single shimmering shuriken that slammed into the hilt of the weapon. A loud crack could be heard and then the weapon fell apart, shards of steel raining down on all three of them. ("What?")

"So your name is Pride?" Kai casually readjusted his sunglasses. "I just ruined your sword…are you going to let your pride take that kind of a hit?" Tilting his head to the side casually, he smiled. "Or are you going to take me on?"

"What was that technique you used?" Pride stepped around Eribisumaru and Kin like they were nothing, approaching his new target slowly.

"Technique? It wasn't a technique…just some special shuriken made by my mother." Kai cracked his knuckles. "Now then, are you ready to begin?"

"Very well…" Pride's cloak billowed out. "I will kill you first before I go after my target…are you ready?"

"Let's…" Kai realized a moment too late what Pride was doing under the billowing cloak. ("A technique?")

"_Kamon; Kaminari Shot no Jutsu_!" The cloak was destroyed as a blast of roaring electricity exploded from it and slammed right into Kai, sending him flying away instantly.

Kin ground his teeth and then pushed Eribisumaru roughly. "Go already! He's buying us time!" As they hurried away though, he hoped that Kai would be okay, because he wasn't done with the conceited bastard yet.

Pride felt the two leave, but shrugged it off mentally. ("Hate will get them when they go up the pass.") He began to form the Thunder Shot seals again. ("Now to end it!")

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" A fireball shot out of the smoke cloud and swallowed up Pride. Kai stepped out of the smoke calmly, already making the seals for his next technique. His sunglasses and clothing were charred slightly, but otherwise he was fine. "Don't think me that easy to beat! _Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!"

As more fire washed over him, Pride sighed mentally. ("Well, it looks like I'll actually have to try this time.")

_---------_

Kin kept an eye both to the front and rear of them. He didn't trust any of this. ("We're being separated, aren't we?") Almost as if on cue, he felt something whistling towards him. "Look out!" Shoving Eribisumaru to the ground, his legs moved. For a few moments, he was nothing but a body. And then when he was done he saw the dozens of shuriken buried in the ground around him. ("I'm glad I'm fast…") "Get to cover!" His hands began to move as quickly as they could. "_Fuuton…_"

A body dropped out of the sky towards him. "Incoming."

Kin blinked in surprise as an incredibly pale and small white-haired boy was dropping towards him. ("He's so small…like a midget.") Leaping back, Kin went into a roll so that he could get as much distance as possible between himself and the new opponent.

The little boy was only 2' tall, his pale white eyes and skin glimmering in the noon sun. He looked at Kin meekly. "Um…hi. I'm here to kill you. Sorry…"

Kin face-fell in mid-roll, dragging along the ground for a couple of feet before stopping. Leaping to his feet he glared at the child, who couldn't have been any older than seven or eight. "Don't sound so casual about it. Besides…I'm faster than I look." Smiling slightly, he bent at the knees. "Here we go!" His image blurred and he disappeared.

The little boy blinked in surprise. "Huh?" Moments later he was flying through the air, a bruise on his chin.

Kin stood in astonishment. ("He…didn't see me? I wasn't even moving at twenty-five percent full speed…") "You're no match for me…are you?"

The boy crashed and bounced along the ground, before coming to a stop when he slammed into a boulder. After a moment he stood up, unharmed. "You're quick…"

Kin growled angrily. ("You're letting yourself get hit? You ass!") His hands began to move. "_Fuuton; Shirakaze Hane no Jutsu_!" Sneering calmly, he charged. "Try this on for size, shorty!" Right before he reached the small boy, he disappeared so quickly there wasn't even a dust trail to show the basic direction he had gone.

The boy stared in amazement, completely caught off guard as Kin hammer-fisted him in the back of the head. Then a blow slammed into the back of his neck, and another, and another…

Kin kept striking, because he was sure he wasn't doing any damage at all to the child with his normal attacks. ("I didn't need the White Wind Angel though; I just needed a single feather of the angel's wings. A single burst of speed for a surprise attack.") As the boy began to fall towards the ground he snapped his foot up and kicked the child in the stomach, sending him up to eye level with him. And sure enough, his eyes reflected no true pain. ("This kid is incredible…it looks like I'll have to take him down with full power!") Winding up a punch, he caught the boy on the chin and sent him careening into another boulder. "Sorry, but I don't have time to play! _Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!" ("Now to test my new limiting abilities…let's see if I can shut it off before it burns me completely!") As wisps of white silk began to float in the air around him, he locked his eyes onto the boy's body. "Here we go! It's time for the ten thousand hit combo!"

_To be continued…_


	8. Faceoff

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 8: Face-off

_Taking the machete, Pain looked at the blade and his smile turned from dark to sick. "Perfect…the perfect setting. Don't you think it's a work of art?"_

"_What are you…doing?" Yurei clutched at his face and stumbled to his feet, dizzy from the force of his own blows._

"_It's simple…" Pain lifted the weapon back, its blade pointed at his chest. "I'm going to die."_

_Yurei felt cold as he watched the weapon rocket towards Pain's chest. ("If he dies…I die…") His feet were moving him towards the other boy, but he already knew that it wasn't going to matter. He wasn't fast enough…_

Pain tilted his head back and smiled calmly. "To die is to live, no?" Then he plunged the weapon right into his chest.

Yurei dropped to his knees and screamed…and then he exploded into a burst of white smoke.

Pain froze, eyes wide. ("No, it can't be…")

"_Kage Ningen no Jutsu_…" Yurei grinned as he stepped out from behind a nearby bush. "So tell me, what do you think? By manipulating my chakra I can create a clone that I can extend my will into. I can keep supplying it chakra to keep it from dispersing. So your tricks are useless against me." His upper lip lifted up into a sneer. "For all you know, I could be a replication as well. Give up, your technique is useless against me."

Pain gritted his teeth and removed the machete from his chest, blood spraying out and down his black clothing. ("His techniques involve his ability to create shadow replications. And my technique attacks those who I fight with a powerful curse which binds them to me. All I did was bind his replication to me…it is useless.") "I see." Coughing up a gob of blood, he ran the blade of his weapon across his clothing to clean it. "Then let's try this…another technique…another voodoo…" His hands began to move rapidly, forming seals.

Yurei scoffed and threw a kunai right at the center of Pain's chest. "I'm not coming near you, but that doesn't mean that I can't stop you from performing another cheap little trick. How about you fight using your fists instead of your voodoo?"

As the weapon flew between Pain's hands and right into his ribcage, he snickered coldly. "Unfortunately, my talents reside in that which you dislike…so sorry." Forming the last seal, he started to walk towards Yurei. "Now come here…"

"You must be out of your mind…" Yurei took a few steps back. "I'm not coming near you."

"Oh? Why not?" Pain continued to stumble towards him. "I just wish to speak with you…"

"You must think I'm stupid…" Yurei didn't know what to do. It seemed like this guy couldn't be injured by normal attacks. ("Other than pounding him with a huge number of shadow replications, which I'd rather not expend the chakra to do, I have only one other option. Run away.") Frowning, he dispelled himself in a burst of white smoke.

Pain wasn't surprised…in fact he was pleased. ("The 'technique' I had planned was nothing. Good, he left.") Coughing up some more blood, he collapsed face-first to the ground. ("Now to sleep…to…") His heartbeat slowed to a crawl. And then it stopped completely.

_-------------_

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" A fireball shot out of the smoke cloud and swallowed up Pride. Kai stepped out of the smoke calmly, already making the seals for his next technique. His sunglasses and clothing were charred slightly, but otherwise he was fine. "Don't think me that easy to beat! Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

_As more fire washed over him, Pride sighed mentally. ("Well, it looks like I'll actually have to try this time.")_

Kai stopped his fireball technique to give himself a breather. He was tired already. ("I need to practice that technique more often, because it is already draining my energy by far too much.")

Pride stepped out from the fire, revealing a young body much like Kai's. "It's interesting really…don't you think?"

"Interesting?" Kai held back his concern. Something about this felt wrong…

"Interesting how you expect to defeat me with such a pitiful technique…but what's even more interesting…is that I've been hunting you for so long." Brushing back his charcoal-colored locks of hair, Pride's golden eyes locked on the shades of Kai's sunglasses. "Kai Otogi? You and I know the truth, don't we? Don't kid me about who you are." He began to walk towards the boy slowly. "All of this time…and yet we meet again." Drawing another katana from out of nowhere, his white teeth glittered against the dark hue of his skin. "Your true identity is no secret to me."

Kai growled and drew a kunai, forming the seals for his fireball technique once more. "_Katon_…"

"_Kage Tsuki_." Pride disappeared, like a mirage.

Kai widened his eyes and felt a tingle along the back of his neck. Spinning around, he began to finish the technique. "…_Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!"

Pride appeared right in front of him, amusement across his face. Even as the fire of the technique warmed his skin, he decided against pretending that it hurt at all. ("No…let's see how well he does if I remind him that my level is far above his own.") Strolling out of the fire, he lifted the katana and pointed its blade right at Kai's head. "_Kage Tsuki no mai_."

Kai felt tingles run all along his body. ("I can't block this…") Dropping to his back, he gasped as he saw six different after-images of Pride standing over him. ("Too many…it can't be…") Then all of the afterimages became real to his sight, and they brought their swords flying down towards his head. Snapping up his kunai, he blocked one blade aimed for his eyes. Then the others came flying in…

Pride smiled coldly. "How…" He felt something, a slight tingle of chakra. ("Oh? He's getting stronger already? Interesting…considering that I'm still not using anything more than a dance…")

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" All of the Pride shadows were consumed in a blast of fire that plumed high into the sky. Kai stood up, the flames wreathed around him. ("Damn you…you want to play?") He knew that he'd need a different technique to win this. And he had the perfect ability in mind. "_Katon…_"

"Again with the fireball?" Pride got ready to move. If the boy actually thought to trap him with the same tired old technique, then he was wrong.

"…_Hayabusa Koukyuu no Jutsu_!" Kai spat out another fireball, but this one shot straight into the air. It quickly took the form of a bird in flight and then dove towards Pride rapidly.

("An adjustment to his old technique?") Pride sighed. ("Still not enough…") Swinging his sword up to point at the approaching fire blast, he closed his eyes. "_Kage Tsuki no Iwaiuta_!" His hands moved, spinning the sword around him in a rapid dance of light and steel. Even as the fire bird got closer, it began to show the signs that it was being attacked somehow. Inches before it reached Pride, it disappeared in a burst of embers. "And so your technique has been defeated by my carol of steel. Care to attempt something else?"

"There's no need." Kai spoke quietly into Pride's ear, standing behind him. "Or have you forgotten that I can see right through your technique?"

"I haven't forgotten at all. Your abilities are very impressive…aren't they?" Pride didn't even bother looking behind him. He knew that as close as Kai was, there was little the boy could do other than talk trash. ("I'm sure he understands that it is pointless to try and fight me seriously.")

Kai looked through his sunglasses…and smiled coldly. "I'll get you back for what you did…I'll make you pay…right here, right now." His hand shot upwards and slammed into the back of Pride's head. "And I'll pay you back for every second I've lived knowing that you were alive!" His other fist crashed into Pride's temple, and then he just started hitting wildly. "I'll make you regret what you did! I'll kill you!"

Pride's head snapped back and forth wildly, its movement being controlled by the wild punches of his foe.

"What gave you the right? What gave you the right to do what you did?" Kai kept punching, his hair flapping around him wildly. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Pride stumbled back a few more steps, though it didn't give him any leeway. He was still getting pounded over and over again.

"What you did to him…what you did to him…I won't let you escape this time!" Kai's right hand kept striking, but his left hand remained at his side. It began to glow with a faint red light. "No matter what you say…no matter where you go…I'll…"

Pride ducked the next punch and casually stabbed his katana right into Kai's side. "I've heard enough of your childish whining, brat."

Kai tried to ignore the pain, but the metal was red hot. "Damn…you…"

"All this time has passed and you still think that my killing of your father is a big event in my life?" Pride smirked and leaned his head in to whisper, "It was nothing. For all of his special skills and techniques…even his best attack…he was weak. And to think I actually removed my limiters just for him. It was such a waste of effort. If I'm correct, I killed him in three hits right? The first one took off his right arm…the second separated his torso from his legs…and the final took off his head. He couldn't even realize what I had done."

Thin lines of tears slid down Kai's cheeks, his eyes still hidden behind his sunglasses.

Pride removed his sword from Kai's side and slapped the wet flat of the blade against the boy's cheek, leaving him with a welt covered in his own blood. "All choked up? That's such a shame, because I was hoping that by leaving you alive I'd eventually create an opponent capable of being a challenge. But instead I wind up with a little boy who can't even hurt me in my normal state."

Kai clenched his fists tighter. "Shut up…"

Pride stood up and placed the edge of his katana against Kai's neck. "Or you'll what? I've already measured your skill…and it is lacking to the point of being useless. Now be a good boy and die…because I've grown sick of letting you live." The weapon's edge pressed in against Kai's throat. "Join your father…perhaps he'll teach you a thing or two…"

A kunai shot through the air and hit the hilt of the katana. It vanished into black mist. "That's enough, Pride."

"Oh? What's this?" Pride's hair parted as he looked over to his right. "Is that you Aiko? It's been so long since I've seen you, dear girl. Tell me, how is Kane?"

Aiko began to form a set of seals.

"Not a word hmm? Well that's such a shame…of course I suppose it makes sense. You wouldn't want to talk about the dead, would you?" Pride touched a finger to Kai's forehead and the boy slumped to the ground, unconscious. "So…let's begin. I've always wondered how far you could push me before I killed you…"

"I'll make sure that you never get your goal…I'll make sure you never succeed! _Niji Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Aiko's body shimmered and split into seven parts, each one having a different hair color. "And I'll kill you all the same."

"That's my line." Pride pulled a katana out of nothingness.

_----------_

_Kin kept striking, because he was sure he wasn't doing any damage at all to the child with his normal attacks. ("I didn't need the White Wind Angel though; I just needed a single feather of the angel's wings. A single burst of speed for a surprise attack.") As the boy began to fall towards the ground he snapped his foot up and kicked the child in the stomach, sending him up to eye level with him. And sure enough, his eyes reflected no true pain. ("This kid is incredible…it looks like I'll have to take him down with full power!") Winding up a punch, he caught the boy on the chin and sent him careening into another boulder. "Sorry, but I don't have time to play! Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu!" ("Now to test my new limiting abilities…let's see if I can shut it off before it burns me completely!") As wisps of white silk began to float in the air around him, he locked his eyes onto the boy's body. "Here we go! It's time for the ten thousand hit combo!"_

Hate stumbled to his feet, not even a bruise on him.

Kin bent at the knees. ("One hundred!") He disappeared and one second later was standing the same distance from Hate, but on the opposite side. ("Three hundred!")

Hate tilted his head to start to look where Kin had been.

("One thousand!") Kin appeared a few inches from Hate's face. "Yo." His fist arched up and slammed into the boy's chin, landing a hundred strikes in the time it would take one person to land a single punch. Even as the hundred hit uppercut finished, his other fist drove into his opponent's gut as hard as he possibly could. ("Two thousand…")

Hate began to move now, the force of the blows actually taking effect in real time.

Kin knew his time was slower than normal, but he attributed that to the fact he wasn't in top running form. ("Five thousand!") He completely vanished, while Hate was catapulted upwards by the force of three thousand punches to the chin. Even as the pale child somersaulted through the air, he blinked for the tenth time since he had been attacked. And then he was sent into the ground instantly, dust and smoke rising up from the force that had been used against him.

Kin appeared in the same spot he had been standing. ("Ten thousand…") Snapping up his hands, he concentrated all of his will into his chakra circulatory system. "Stop self!" Everything slowly returned to normal speed for him, and he smiled. Though it had burned more chakra than necessary to do so, he had stopped the White Wind Angel. "Alright Eribisumaru-san, let's…" His eyes widened at what he saw emerging from the huge crater his final five thousand punches had created.

Hate stumbled out of the crater, his eyes and hair burning red. "That hurt…that actually hurt…" His eyes bored right into Kin's. Letting out a roar of rage he charged full speed towards the green-haired boy.

Kin grimaced and his hands moved as quickly as possible. "_Ju Shirakaze Hane no Jitsu_!" His legs cramped for a moment and then he charged towards the small boy. "I'll show you hurt…" He disappeared right before Hate's fist could hit him. Then he appeared behind the boy. Kicking with all of his strength, he drove his next White Wind Feather right into the boy's side with all of his strength.

Hate turned, his eyes still like those of a demon. "I'll kill you!"

"You have to catch me first." Kin disappeared again and appeared right behind his opponent. "And I promise you that will never happen!" His foot snapped up and kicked another White Wind Feather into Hate's side. Then he disappeared and appeared with his foot driving another feather into the boy's head. ("Six….four left…") He lumped the energy together and kicked full strength into Hate's stomach, letting all four feathers loose at once.

Hate gasped and bent forward a little…and then snapped his head up a couple of inches from Kin's.

("He's fast…") Kin began to slip into guard position. He was going to take the hit and then he'd counterattack with a kick to the side of the head. After that he'd be best off reactivating White Wind Angel. He'd break this kid's toughness.

Hate's fist rocketed in and struck his stomach. For a few moments there was silence, and then a sound like a gunshot rang across the area.

Kin stared at the ground, his body hunched over Hate's fist. ("Why do I feel so cold? Why do I…") Then time caught up to him and he was propelled thirty feet into a boulder. That boulder exploded into powder and he kept going, hitting another boulder. Ten boulders later he finally stopped. ("No one is…that strong…") Kin saw the earth rushing up to him…but by the time he touched it he was dead, spine shattered and internal organs demolished.

Hate tried to control his breathing…and then slowly his hair and eyes returned to normal. Looking the damage he had caused over, he whimpered. ("Master Pride isn't going to be happy…")

Kin's dead eyes had nothing to say in response.

_To be continued…_


	9. Pride's Purpose

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 9: Pride's Purpose

_A kunai shot through the air and hit the hilt of the katana. It vanished into black mist. "That's enough, Pride."_

"_Oh? What's this?" Pride's hair parted as he looked over to his right. "Is that you Aiko? It's been so long since I've seen you, dear girl. Tell me, how is Kane?"_

_Aiko began to form a set of seals._

"_Not a word hmm? Well that's such a shame…of course I suppose it makes sense. You wouldn't want to talk about the dead, would you?" Pride touched a finger to Kai's forehead and the boy slumped to the ground, unconscious. "So…let's begin. I've always wondered how far you could push me before I killed you…"_

"_I'll make sure that you never get your goal…I'll make sure you never succeed! Niji Bunshin no Jutsu!" Aiko's body shimmered and split into seven parts, each one having a different hair color. "And I'll kill you all the same."_

"_That's my line." Pride pulled a katana out of nothingness._

The red-haired and purple-haired Aikos stepped forward. They both began to perform two different sets of seals. Then the rest of the replications began to form different seals.

After a moment Pride knew exactly which one to start with. "Foolish girl…_Kage Tsuki no mai_." He disappeared.

Each of the replications gasped as a phantom katana stabbed into their chest. A rainbow plume of smoke filled the air as each one dispelled immediately.

Pride reappeared where he had been standing before. "It's pointless. You were no match for me two weeks ago…you needed the help of the Hokage to get rid of me. This time he's not here, and in two weeks you couldn't have improved enough to become a threat for me." Snapping his katana up to point up into the noon sky, a dark smile appeared on his face. "Ah yes, just two weeks ago…it was such a nice day, right up until he died…"

"Shut up!" Aiko appeared in front of him, a kunai in each hand. "Don't even speak of him." She dove in, both blades coming in at angles that made it impossible to block them with one weapon.

Pride sneered as he was slashed by both blades. "You still haven't learned, have you?" He disappeared in a burst of black smoke.

("A shadow replication?") Aiko turned to see the blade of Pride's sword a few inches from her forehead protector. But it stood their, unmoving.

"Don't you get it yet? I'm one of the seven Sins." Pride withdrew his blade. "You can't match my power. I owe him a debt for saving my life once…and in return I'll spare you this one time."

She threw the kunai away and leapt at him, trying to drive the flat of her right palm into his chest. ("Taijutsu should work…")

Pride snapped a hand up and grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully. "Aiko, stop. It's useless to try and beat me…you know that. I won't kill you if I can avoid it. You're like Terubisu though…to think that you believe yourself a true Jounin." He yanked her in a little closer. "Don't you get it? Despite all of your training you still don't have the experience necessary to truly earn the title."

"What do you want with him?" She tried to tug her wrist away, but his grip was like iron.

"He has something that we've worked too hard for. And thanks to your sacrificial lamb we can get this prize with next to no effort. I owe you so much for sealing it away…" His katana blade lowered and he twisted her wrist even harder. "Now go already…before I change my mind…"

She pushed in closer, forcing her wrist to an angle that was nearly breaking it. "I'm not running! Tell me the truth…what do you want it for?"

"For its power, what else?" Pride sighed. "Not since the Kyuubi's emergence has the opportunity for such power shown itself…"

"Don't you understand yet, that power won't obey anyone!" She felt her blood run cold. It was useless…he was set on this task.

"Aiko, that's enough. It will belong to the Seven Sins. You know this…"

"I do." She tilted her head down and sighed in defeat. "So I wish this could be some other way. Forgive me…" Her body disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

("A replication?") Pride felt her now…right behind him. He began to turn…

"Too late…" Aiko's hands touched his back. "_Nijiryu no Jitsu_!"

Pride's eyes widened as a dragon-shaped blast of rainbow energy blew a huge hole in his chest. He started to lean forward… "No…" His body disappeared.

Aiko gasped as she felt a sharp edge of steel press against her neck from Pride's katana. "…You're too late…for all of your skill, you're still blind. Don't ever forget that…"

"How could I forget?" Aiko smiled. "But honestly, you're blinder than I could ever be." Her rainbow colored hair faded to green.

("Another rainbow replication?") Pride felt chakra building around him from six different points.

"_Ninpou Nijikiri no Jitsu_!" The other six rainbow replications finished their seals and a rainbow-colored mist formed around them, encasing Pride. "Now you're trapped Pride. The power of my Rainbow Mist Genjutsu will lock you in an eternal state of stupor."

"Is that so?" Pride's voice echoed out of the mist. "You fool, it's not that easy to stop me. A simple Genjutsu like that cannot…will not…"

"Stop bluffing, you're trapped." All six of them smiled calmly. "We've stopped you…"

"I'm immune to the stupor part, but yes I am stuck. However, you cannot attack me while I am in here, so what's the point? You will run out of chakra sooner or later, and once you do it's the end. Debt or not, I have to kill you now." Pride's voice echoed out of the mist. "Perhaps you should dispel the technique and run?"

"I can't beat you in a fight…I know that…" All of the Aikos tilted their heads down. "But I won't let you do what you wish! I shall stop you with my last breath."

"Suicide is unbecoming of you, dear Aiko…"

"And insanity is unbecoming of you, but that hasn't stopped you in the past from going after foolish goals!" The legs of the Aikos began to tremble. ("What's wrong with my chakra?")

"Oh yes…I forgot to mention…_Kage Tsuki Tate_." Pride began to laugh. "A special technique I developed specifically to combat illusion ninjas such as yourself. Quite simply, I'm dispersing your illusion and consuming the power for myself…" Even as he spoke the rainbow mist started to grow thinner.

One of the Aiko replications dispelled. "I'll buy as much time as I can…"

"I'd say ten seconds…" Another Aiko dispelled, and Pride's body started to come into view. Two more of the replications disappeared. "Maybe five?"

The two remaining replications looked at each other and then one broke off into a run away from the mist. ("I'll lead him away…") Even as the remaining replication disappeared and this replication's hair turned to rainbow, indicating it was really Aiko, she ran for all she worth. ("I'm not afraid to die, but these boys under my command trust me to keep them alive. I can't let a monster like Pride harm…") Right before she ran into the brush, her legs froze as she sensed who had emerged from them. "How?"

"I'm too smart for you." Pride tapped the side of his head with his katana. "I left a shadow in the mist to suck up your chakra and siphon it to me. I'm completely recharged now, while you are at less than twenty percent strength." Off in the distance thousands of birds broke into wild chirping.

"You've always been good at gauging the strengths of your opponents…haven't you?" Aiko stumbled back a few feet, drawing a kunai. It wouldn't do any good, but she would buy the boys all the time they needed.

"I'm done playing cat and mouse…die." Pride split into eight copies, each one a few inches from her and now forming a ring to cut off her escape. "You can't block us all and no one can tell who is the real me." The birds chirping got louder, an omen of the coming death.

"You're wrong, there's one." Aiko smiled slightly and wiped some dirt from her cheek.

"But he's not…" Pride heard the bushes behind him rustle. ("I didn't hear anyone approach…I just heard…birds…") His heart stopped in his chest. ("Impossible…why would he come here?")

"I suggest you drop your sword, Pride," A calm voice whispered in the Sin's ear. The figure held a crackling ball of lightning in their hand. It was just a few inches from his back and was making a noise like thousands of birds chirping.

Pride glared at Aiko. "You wench…you knew you couldn't beat me."

"That's right. Aiko's job was simply to alert me to your position and then buy time." The hand lifted the ball of lightning up towards the section of Pride's back closest to the Sin's heart. "Now then Pride…it's the end. Aiko, go make sure that the target is alright."

"Yes Hokage-sama." Bowing her head, she turned and ran right past the shadow, knowing they only moved like their original did. And if he attacked then he'd be killed instantly.

Pride watched her go for a few moments and then started to laugh. "So, what do I owe the honor of this visit by you? It isn't every day that a ninja gets to meet the great Hokage."

"Crack all the jokes you want Pride…but first dispel your illusions and come out. I know where you are, but I wanted to make sure Aiko thought I had you beaten."

"Of course…being the sensitive guy you are." All eight of the Pride clones vanished, and the real one appeared just a few feet away from the Hokage. "To think I'll get to fight the legend himself. It's a dream come true. So, let's begin…"

The Hokage brushed some leaves off his Jounin vest and clothes, the lightning ball long gone. "I know you think…" His hand reached up and grasped his forehead protector, which was hanging over his left eye. "…that you will be fighting…" Pushing the protector up onto his forehead fully, he revealed a red eye with three black stars surrounding the pupil. "…but the truth is…" The stars turned for a few moments around the pupil in a wheel motion and then settled, reflecting Pride within the pupil of that eye. "…death is your only option."

Pride tried to ignore the droplets of sweat on his face. ("The Sharingan…") "Oh? So you immediately unleash your best ability? I thought that the famous sixth Hokage would start with something else instead."

"You killed my apprentice's fiancé…" Hatake Kakashi met Pride's eyes with both his normal eye and the eye that reflected the power of the Sharingan bloodline limit. "And your future is death. _Raikiri_!" Cupping his right hand, Kakashi growled out as lightning developed within his palm.

("I didn't even see him perform the seals…") Pride stepped back, unable to take his eye off of that single Sharingan-strengthened orb. ("I must retreat…I have to run…this is too much for even me…")

Kakashi bowed his head. "May you find peace in death, coward!" Charging, he extended his hand out and drove the lightning ball right into Pride's chest in the blink of an eye.

_------------_

_Kin stared at the ground, his body hunched over Hate's fist. ("Why do I feel so cold? Why do I…") Then time caught up to him and he was propelled thirty feet into a boulder. That boulder exploded into powder and he kept going, hitting another boulder. Ten boulders later he finally stopped. ("No one is…that strong…") Kin saw the earth rushing up to him…but by the time he touched it he was dead, spine shattered and internal organs demolished._

_Hate tried to control his breathing…and then slowly his hair and eyes returned to normal. Looking the damage he had caused over, he whimpered. ("Master Pride isn't going to be happy…")_

_Kin's dead eyes had nothing to say in response._

Hate whimpered a little louder. "He's going to hurt me…master Pride is going to hurt me so much for breaking the target…" Sitting, he clutched as his head and started to rock gently.

Eribisumaru stared in horror at Kin's crushed form. ("What…what terrible power…") He'd been amazed and relieved when he had seen Kin's speed, but now there was nothing left for him but fear. ("I don't even know who these people are…why are they targeting me?") But even as he thought this he remembered what Hate had just said. ("He broke the target? What a moment…the boy he killed was the target, not me?")

Hate whimpered louder and rocked a bit faster. ("I don't want to be hurt again…please don't hurt me, master Pride….") He was so absorbed in his mental nightmare that he didn't even notice the fact that red chakra was coming off of Kin's body in waves.

Kin's eyes slowly opened and he clutched at his skull. ("Oh man…did I oversleep again?") Memories flashed back to him and he snapped his head up to look at the rocking Hate. After a quick check of his body, he breathed a sigh of relief. ("Wow…I'm amazed that blow didn't do more damage to me. I don't even have a scratch on me…")

Hate heard the breath and looked up at Kin. ("He's alive?") Stumbling to his feet, he wiped his eyes free of tears and started to walk towards the green-haired boy slowly. "Let's fight…"

Kin growled and danced back, trying to keep the maximum distance between himself and his opponent. ("This guy is a monstrosity. He hits so hard…") Clenching his jaw, he tried to ignore the throbbing in his skull and kept retreating. ("I need to think of a way to match his strength…but my Red Fire Devil technique is nowhere near strong enough to make me a match for him…") White Wind Angel wouldn't do any good, because his blows weren't anything to this kid's defense. If five thousand hits didn't leave more than a bruise, it was pointless to push himself more. ("Blue Water Dolphin and Grey Iron Knight would be pointless here. And that's it…I don't have any abilities besides replacement and transformation techniques…crap…")

Hate kept moving toward him, smiling weakly. ("Master Pride won't hurt me…I just have to immobilize this guy…")

"I don't suppose we can talk about this, can we?" Kin felt sweat pouring down his face. He'd never met an opponent that his speed couldn't defeat…but here he was…in that situation. ("My lack of Ninjutsu skills make it impossible to win…") All of his effort to learn the Taijutsu of his clan didn't mean anything here. ("Attack and face death…or run and face dishonor…or…") He grimaced and pushed his feet into the ground to keep himself from moving at all. ("I'm sorry father, forgive this foolish son of yours.") His hands started to move, forming an incredibly complex set of seals.

Hate kept moving towards him, smiling tiredly.

Kin felt the building chakra deep within every muscle of his body. ("At my current level the chances of achieving it are less than one out of a million, but I have to try and activate Radiant Paradise. It's my only hope. Of course if I fail I go up like a firecracker, so please work…") "_Kagayaki Rakuen_!" Finishing the last seal, he closed his eyes and prayed with all of his heart. ("Please don't blow up…please!")

Hate stared at the rapidly building aura of chakra in slight amazement. ("Wow…such strange colors…white, now black…white, now black…black…")

Kin felt joy running up his spine as he realized he had done it. ("Radiant Paradise…I'll…") The throbbing increased in intensity. ("What's going on? What's…what's…") Screaming, he clutched at his skull as his body was consumed by a pillar of black chakra.

Hate stepped back a couple of feet in confusion. ("What's this? Where'd this power come from?")

Kin's lips curled up into a dark smile. "_Kurohakai_ _Sabaku_!" The aura settled down around him. "So child, you made a mistake…reaching for the sun and finding nothing but ash." His eyes lifted to meet Hate's, the irises now a molten red. "And now…" His pupils contracted to slits, and a bright crimson light came from his chest. "Not only have you given me free reign over your body…but I get this strange source of dark energy to play with. I'm not sure what technique you were trying to use, but it doesn't matter." His arms lifted up and he slid into a strange Taijutsu stance. "As for you…I want to see what you can really do…"

Hate tilted his head to the side. "What I can really do?"

"Oh yes…I want your full strength…I want to feel alive again!" Kin charged, disappearing and appearing a few inches behind Hate. "Tell me, what does your blood taste like?"

_To be continued…_


	10. Awakened Blood

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 10: Awakened Blood; The Mysterious Demon

"_You killed my apprentice's fiancé…" Hatake Kakashi met Pride's eyes with both his normal eye and the eye that reflected the power of the Sharingan bloodline limit. "And your future is death. Raikiri!" Cupping his right hand, Kakashi growled out as lightning developed within his palm._

_("I didn't even see him perform the seals…") Pride stepped back, unable to take his eye off of that single Sharingan-strengthened orb. ("I must retreat…I have to run…this is too much for even me…")_

_Kakashi bowed his head. "May you find peace in death, coward!" Charging, he extended his hand out and drove the lightning ball right into Pride's chest in the blink of an eye._

Smoke was kicked up in front of his face, and Kakashi was forced to leapt back a few steps. ("Something's wrong…that attack didn't connect.") As the smoke cleared, he realized why.

Standing where Pride had been was a giant bald-headed man in black robes. He had one huge hand up, and it was smoldering.

"So you stopped my Lightning Edge with your hand?" Kakashi disliked the fact that there was anyone capable of doing that. "So…who are you?"

"I am Sloth…" The man glanced behind him. "Envy…what is Pride's condition?"

"He is fine…" Another much shorter bald-headed man stood up and looked over at Kakashi. "You're taking a risk by coming out into the open, Hokage."

"Am I?" Kakashi's Sharingan nearly burned holes through both men at once with its intense stare. "If Pride is any gauge of your group's power, then I can take up to four of you at once at my maximum."

Envy growled and looked up at Sloth. "As much as I'd like to tear that Sharingan right out of his skull…we have to go for now. Pride went against the orders of Death, and our orders are to bring him back as soon as we can." He turned to look at Kakashi. "Perhaps next time, Hokage-sama." All three of them disappeared in a cloud of white smoke.

Kakashi sighed and lowered his forehead protector down over his Sharingan again. "Every once in a while I wonder why I ever took the title…" Turning, he looked over at the fallen Kai. "Well, let's make sure you live to see another sunrise."

------------

_Kin's lips curled up into a dark smile. "Kurohakai Sabaku!" The aura settled down around him. "So child, you made a mistake…reaching for the sun and finding nothing but ash." His eyes lifted to meet Hate's, the irises now a molten red. "And now…" His pupils contracted to slits, and a bright crimson light came from his chest. "Not only have you given me free reign over your body…but I get this strange source of dark energy to play with. I'm not sure what technique you were trying to use, but it doesn't matter." His arms lifted up and he slid into a strange Taijutsu stance. "As for you…I want to see what you can really do…"_

_Hate tilted his head to the side. "What I can really do?"_

"_Oh yes…I want your full strength…I want to feel alive again!" Kin charged, disappearing and appearing a few inches behind Hate. "Tell me, what does your blood taste like?"_

Hate started to turn his head to try and look at Kin. Looking behind him, he blinked in surprise to find no one there.

"What are you looking at?" Kin asked calmly, now standing in front of him. "Were you expecting to keep up with me in your current state?"

"My current state?" Hate blinked a couple of times. "What are you talking about?"

He snickered and closed his eyes, looking thoughtful. "So now you decide to play dumb? Then let me draw it out of you!" The next half-second later his fist crashed into Hate's cheek and sent the small boy flying backwards into a boulder, breaking the huge hunk of stone in half. "Well? Where's the power I know you have?"

Hate stood up, unharmed. "What power are you talking about?"

Kin's amused expression disappeared. "I see…so you don't know about it? Your endurance exists to protect you from it then." His upper lip curled to reveal a pair of slightly elongated canine teeth. "Let's break your endurance." He disappeared and appeared behind Hate, landing a trio of heavy haymakers to the back of the boy's head. Then he was in front of the lurching boy, driving a knee into his kidney while punching him in both sides at the same time. To finish the combo Kin's forehead crashed down onto Hate's nose at full speed.

Hate stumbled back, eyes wide at the ferocity of that combo that had been used against him. It didn't hurt him, but such an attack… ("It was reckless…incredibly reckless…")

Kin frowned. "Again." He appeared in a sliding position at Hate's feet, his foot snapping up and striking the boy in the stomach, pushing him a couple of feet into the air. Pushing off with his hands, Kin flew up and latched his legs around Hate's head roughly. Twisting in mid-air he came down using his opponent's head like a pillow to cushion the landing.

The force caused Hate to bounce a little, and Kin dismounted at that point. The moment his feet touched the ground he drove his knee at full strength into the small now upside-down boy's gut, propelling him into another boulder. Running in, Kin struck a roundhouse kick on the side of Hate's head and followed up with a shoulder strike into the boulder. Each blow shook the earth with its ferocity.

Hate had a little trouble breathing with Kin's shoulder crushing him against the boulder, but it still didn't hurt.

A low growl came from Kin's mouth, and as time caught up to him his hair, which had been behind him like a cape, began to fall around his face. A few strands of the green hair dropped over his right eye. "Screw this…it's time to die!" Breaking into a series of back-flips, Kin got some distance between himself and his impossible to harm target. "_Kurohakai Sabaku_!" The black aura appeared again, and Kin's hair turned jet black. "Feel the full power of the Black Destruction Desert!"

An explosion shook the surrounding area as Hate was sent straight through numerous boulders. But what was even more damaging was the shockwave from the actual blow as it caught up to him. The pressure actually started to make his head feel a little pressed.

Kin snarled deeper, his canine teeth longer than before. "_Kurohakai Rendan_!" Letting out a savage roar, he charged at Hate full speed.

Hate's head began to turn, already predicting the simple flanking maneuver Kin would use.

This time Kin's feet left the ground ten feet from his target, and he straightened out like a spear. Arms barred in front of him he drove both of his elbows into Hate at full strength and sent both of them into a insane roll backwards. Grabbing the much smaller feet of his enemy, Kin let the roll lose power before forcefully coming out of it. Using the momentum that was still pushing against him, he began to spin on his heels and took Hate, by the feet, along for the ride.

As the human tornado that was Kin moved down the path, its edges (Hate's head) clipped a few boulders on the way down, tearing out huge chunks of rock. Finally the spin broke down and Kin went into the third step of the combo. Letting go of one of Hate's legs, he turned his opponent into a human missile that was heading back up the way they had come.

Hate had his eyes closed, as the rocks did tend to get some grit in his eyes. It was uncomfortable. As his straightened out body shot back up the path, he felt a prescense right below him. Tilting his head and opening his eyes, he saw Kin running right beneath him. Then Kin was gone.

Kin charged up the path at full speed, skidding to a stop and reversing his direction to send himself towards Hate. When they were a few feet apart he pushed off the ground and smashed his knee into the top of Hate's skull, instantly eliminating the momentum that was moving the boy back up the trail.

Eribisumaru stared at the sight in awe, because now he was finally able to see them both clearly. They hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity...

Kin's cupped fists struck Hate right in the face full force, sending the boy a foot down to touch the earth at around seventy miles an hour. Kin touched feet to the earth and grabbed Hate by the throat, hefting the boy up to eye level. He could see the stunned look in Hate's eyes, and knew it was because of the Black Desert Combo's dizzying speed. "Remember when I asked you what your blood tasted like?"

"My…" Hate tried to finish the sentence, but was still mentally shaken by the numerous directions his body had been taken in through such a short amount of time.

"That's right…your blood." Kin licked his lips and bit down full force onto the exposed section of Hate's neck.

Eribisumaru clutched at his ears as Hate screamed in complete pain.

Kin roughly removed his canines from Hate's shoulder muscles with a sharp tug. Licking his tongue along his blood-stained lips, he growled in content. "Such untainted purity in your soul…surprising really…but so tasty."

Hate continued to scream. This was the first time he had ever bled. His now wild pale eyes looked down at his shoulder and saw the rivers of blood running down his arm. For a moment it looked like he was about to mentally break down…and then his eyes and hair exploded into blood red radiance.

Kin sneered in delight. "That's…" The rest of his sentence was cut off as a fist crashed into his cheek with such strength that he was actually force to let go. His lip split open and his jawbone rattled from the force. Stumbling back, he smiled through every second of pain. "It's what I wanted…to feel alive…"

"I'll kill you!" Hate roared in rage and charged, his fist hurtling towards Kin's head like a tiny wrecking ball.

Kin watched its approach with a look that said he didn't care whether he got hit or not. ("To feel alive again…to feel alive!")

-----------

Aiko kept her back pressed against a nearby boulder, listening to the earth-shattering sounds of fists crashing against flesh only ten feet away from her. ("That chakra…it's familiar. Though it is tainted by something I've never felt before, the chakra at the middle of the dark storm I sense is…") Then an image flashed into her mind.

"_Foolish mortals…" The held form struggled against the glowing blue net that held it restricted against the foolish male. "I will break free and…"_

She clenched her fist so tightly the bones in her hand nearly shattered. ("But how? How could that be possible? It's…it isn't possible...it's Kin. How would they…")

"_According to the report, the thief refused to tell us where the jewel had gone. A young boy, Kin Watanabe, was found at the scene. Apparently he had been the one to beat the thief, all to retrieve a necklace of his own." Haru sighed and tossed the report down onto the table in front of him. "The chain for the jewel was found around his neck, but the jewel was nowhere in sight."_

"_From what I heard the necklaces that were the boy's and the missing one were similar…is it possible that…"_

"_No. They are similar, but there are obvious differences in just the cut of the jewel and the designs of the jewel holder." Haru rubbed his chin. "Kin was unconscious, but we had one of our best medical ninjas who was in Konoha check his body for it. However, because of how the jewel healed injuries…if it had somehow gotten into his body through an injury…"_

"_You don't think…"_

"_There was a scar reported in between his ribs."_

Aiko punched the ground once. ("Damn it all! It was right in front of me…somehow the jewel had gotten into one of his wounds and when it healed the wound it connected to his body's chakra. He's been carrying the sealed demon in him these last few days…") If the seal had been ruptured badly enough, then the demon would be able to take over Kin's body. ("I…I have to seal him again! If I…")

Pain shot up her arm. ("I can't. I'm only at twenty percent power, which means that there is no way for me to perform the sealing technique, even if I burned my life to do it.") She was helpless. Both of these clashing forces were not as strong as her when she was at full power, but Pride's Shadow Moon Shield had sucked up too much of her energy. ("They'd kill me. I need to think of a…")

A hand dropped down onto her shoulder. "Aiko, Yurei is with Kai. Go and make sure that the client is okay."

She barely was surprised that Kakashi had been able to sneak up on her so easily. "Alright…but what about…"

Though he knew that she couldn't see his facial expressions, Kakashi smiled from underneath his lower face mask. "Don't worry. I'll make sure no one gets hurt beyond what is necessary."

"But what if what is necessary…" Aiko let that hang in the air and disappeared.

Kakashi could feel the clashing chakra sources. One sent little shivers down his spine because of how dark it was. ("It's like Orochimaru's chakra almost. But something about it is far more supernatural than that.") Lifting up his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan eye, the sixth Hokage hopped over the boulder to see what the situation was.

Both Hate and Kin had their faces only a few inches apart. Their hands were clasped and they were pushing against each other as hard as they could.

Kakashi slowly walked towards them. "Hey hey, how about you boys calm down?"

Kin's eyes glanced over at the speaking human…and growled. "Hokage…you would dare to speak to…" His loss of attention to his current opponent gave Hate the opportunity to punch him in the jaw and send him sliding backwards.

Kakashi locked onto the first target. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" A shadow replication appeared next to him. It charged towards Hate even while he made the seals for his next technique. This one would be dangerous if used at full power, but he only planned on using it at half power. ("If I don't hit the right spot though, I'll burn a lot of chakra for nothing.")

The replication snapped its foot out and stopped Hate with a knee to the stomach. Grabbing the boy by the shoulders, it looked him eye to eye.

Hate stared at the strange and beautiful stars on the Sharingan eye for a few moments…and then passed out.

The replication started to set Hate down on the ground, but blew apart as Kin tackled it full force. "You meddling…"

("He's fast…") Kakashi's hand lit up with red-orange flames. "_Fuuinjutsu Shien Fuuijin_!" ("But speed won't stop me!") Charging, Kakashi locked his focus fully on Kin's body. "Forgive me, but this will hurt Kin!"

"You won't be able to…" Kin growled in surprised as a pair of arms locked his head and a pair of legs locked his hips. ("Another shadow replication!")

"Seal!" Kakashi slammed his palm against the center of Kin's chest. The fire died out after a moment, and Kin had gone silent.

-----------

Aiko had carried Eribisumaru on her back the rest of the way, wishing to get him to the town as soon as possible. She was already on her way back, and praying that no one was hurt. ("That monster had harmed enough people already…") As she reached the site where Kin and Hate had been, she breathed a sigh of relief at what she felt. ("It's okay…it's okay…") Repeating that to herself like a mantra, she dropped down onto the path. "It's okay, right?"

Kakashi nodded, his back up against a boulder. "Yes, I placed a support seal around the jewel. It's completely locked in place though, which will be a problem. We can't remove it without probably taking out most of his body with it." Lowering the forehead protector back over his eye, a solemn tone entered his voice. "What worries me though is the power the demon had. The seal was damaged by two percent. It shouldn't have been that strong."

"I know. I felt the power too. It was so angry…so cold…" Aiko shivered at the memory of it. "What is it though?"

"I'm not sure." Kakashi looked over at the unconscious Kin. "But we'll have to find out. For now, the mission is complete though."

"Yeah…" Aiko felt disappointment though, because she hadn't been able to kill him. ("I wasn't even a challenge for him…I'm sorry.")

Kakashi stood up and slung Kin over his shoulder. "Aiko. Don't blame yourself for what happened."

"I'm not…I'm blaming him…" Her memories burned with images of those yellow eyes and that gray hair. "I'll kill him. I will train hard and kill him."

Kakashi was gone already.

_To be continued…_


	11. Wheel of Body and Soul

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 11: The Wheel of Body and Soul

Aiko didn't flinch at all as she shot across the rooftops of Konoha. She was on her way to the Watanabe household, with a few questions for Kin's mother. ("She hasn't even been informed yet that her son was injured on his first mission. What's worse is that his body structure is strange to the doctors, and they don't know how to treat him properly. Then there's the fact that no one is sure where all of that chakra he released had come from. The demon's sealing jewel was only damaged by two percent, so such a huge chakra supply had to have come from Kin's body.") Landing right in front of the door to the Watanabe household, she reached out calmly and knocked.

A few seconds later the door opened and Kin's mother, her blond hair done up in a bun, was standing in the doorway. "You're Aiko-san, aren't you?"

Aiko nodded. "Yes. I've come to deliver some news concerning your son…"

"You want to know about the Black Destruction Desert technique he used, don't you?"

The question caught Aiko off guard. "You aren't worried about your son at all?"

"I know he's alive, because I can feel it in my heart. And regardless what I think of it, the Black Destruction Desert can keep him alive. It's powerful, though evil." She stepped away from the doorway and motioned for Aiko to come in.

_------------_

"And that's the deal." Kakashi sat back in his chair and sighed. "It's never easy, is it?"

"No, it isn't." Haru rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "So…the jewel that Aiko managed to seal the demon in is now locked inside the chest of the boy?"

"Yeah…" Kakashi sighed again. "And the worst part is that I never had the time to strengthen the seal on the jewel. If Kin pushes himself too much, it will begin to break. When it breaks too much, the demon will take over his body. And that is something we do not want. I don't understand how his body is able to make him so fast, but if the demon gets the ability to control his body it can use that bloodline limit to its advantage."

"Do you advise removing the jewel?" Haru wasn't sure what the Hokage was getting at.

"Of course not. It's attached itself to his heart. If we tried that, we'd kill him. And for now we need Kin to draw out the Seven Sins again." Kakashi didn't like having to do these kinds of subtle tactics, but that group had to be stopped. "Those Seven Sins are a bunch of fools, aren't they?"

Haru smiled coyly. "Are you sure about that? I remember what happened when you fought their leader. It was a close fight up to the point that you both ran out of chakra."

That brought back some memories. Kakashi had to admit that he had enjoyed pushing his skills to the limit to match Death. ("His name is appropriate, because whoever he fights feels like they are fighting death itself. You cannot kill him, and every second is like waiting for the scythe to fall.") "Tell me, were we able to get any information concerning the group from the boy?"

"Other than his name, no. He's apparently Hate, the child of one of the Seven. He'd been assigned to Pride for the mission. Other than that, nothing." Haru rubbed his chin. "I have to admit though, that kid doesn't seem like a ninja at all."

"Don't underestimate him. When he's angry he can kill you with a punch." Kakashi remembered through the memory of his shadow replication. It had nearly dispelled itself just trying to stop the boy's charge.

"So what's our next course of action?" Haru went grim-faced.

"For now…Kin is still unconscious. Apparently some kind of weird chakra is preventing the doctors from doing anything more than checking his outer wounds." Kakashi looked out the window of his office. "Until that point we'll have to give Team Eight a replacement."

"You mean a spy?" Haru laughed.

"Yeah, that too. Ayumi!" He called out into the hall. The sound of running feet could be heard. Without the slightest explanation Kakashi disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

Seconds later the door burst open and a young girl of about fourteen with long black hair and green eyes came charging in. "Yes Kakashi-sama?" She looked around the room in confusion. "Is he in here Haru-san?"

Haru had to stop himself from bursting out into laughter. "Oh, he's here. He apparently is deciding that discretion is the better part of valor though."

Ayumi pouted and started to search the room methodically. "Oh Kakashi-sama…where are you?"

"I think that he just wanted me to give you your assignment, Ayumi." Haru cleared his throat and picked up a folder on the deck, holding it out to her. "You've been assigned to a team."

"I have?" She stopped and took the folder. "I thought I was being trained by Kakashi-sama?"

"This is part of your training. Inside that folder is the information about the locations of your teammates at the moment, and who they are. You'll be under Aiko, but she's currently on a mission. Go to the hospital and check on your teammate there." Haru couldn't understand why Kakashi wanted to train this girl, considering both how she acted around him and how her talents weren't exactly exceptional. "Dismissed."

Ayumi saluted and walked out. Seconds later Kakashi appeared in his chair again in a burst of white smoke. "I think I actually…"

"Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi burst back into the room and literally vaulted off of Haru's head, nearly tackling the Hokage.

While Ayumi was glomped onto him, Kakashi sighed and looked up at the ceiling. ("There's no way to avoid it, is there? If only she could focus that amazing detection skill of hers into a jutsu.")

_---------_

Aiko and Kin's mother were now sitting at the dining table.

Aiko took a sip of her tea. "Thank you for the refreshments, but I don't have a lot of time to idle. What is the Black Destruction Desert?"

Kin's mother sat back in her chair. "Imagine three circles in your mind, each one within another. Place four equal lines through the space between the biggest circle and the medium circle."

Aiko instantly imagined this, getting a picture of something that reminded her of a wheel.

"Now, those are the three wheels of body and soul." Kin's mother took another sip of her tea. "In the second wheel, color the four sections red, blue, white, and grey. Those are the four elements of earth (grey), fire (red), water (blue), and wind (white). As you probably have seen, they also represent the four physical attributes that a Watanabe can send their chakra into. Now make the white section a little bigger and lessen the others."

Aiko did so in her mind, and understood what she was seeing. "This is Kin's wheel, right?"

"Correct. Every member of the Watanabe clan with the bloodline limit has a body meant to use one of the four attributes easily. In Kin's case wind (speed) is his focus. He can easily fuel his speed using his chakra, while strength (fire), dexterity (water), and endurance (earth) are all difficult for him to power."

"What are the other two wheels for?" Aiko understood the process so far, but she didn't understand what the purpose to this was.

"Color the outer wheel black and the inner wheel gold." Kin's mother wasn't listening, her voice calm and droning on. "The inner wheel is the nirvana, the radiant paradise of one's soul."

"If a Watanabe reaches that place their full chakra is increasing every aspect of their body equally?" Aiko thought she was getting the hang of this now.

"Almost. But it's more…" Kin's mother smiled slightly. "The Radiant Paradise turns whoever uses it into a superhuman version of them without burning any chakra. Other than a slight pull, the user can keep the ability going for days without worrying about running out of chakra."

"Have you reached it before?"

"Me?" Kin's mother giggled. "Oh no, I'm not blood-related to the Watanabe clan, except that I married one. I learned this from my husband long ago."

Aiko nodded. "Now the real question is…what's the black wheel?"

Her voice grew grim. "The desert that surrounds the paradise. You see, every member of the Watanabe bloodline possesses an innate reserve of chakra that is so strong even a Genin could be as strong as a Jounin if fully accessed."

"Then what's so…" Aiko suddenly remembered the dark aura Kin had been giving off when she had reached him before.

"No one is truly sure why, but this chakra reserve is dangerous. Hence the name Black Destruction Desert. While powerful, it can kill whoever uses it too much. And the more it is accessed, the farther away from the paradise the user moves on the wheel." Kin's mother smoothed out her skirt and stood up. "Anyway, Kin will be fine. I just thought I should give you a little insight into what had happened before. In a few hours he'll wake up without more than a scratch on him."

Aiko smiled. "Alright…I'll trust your belief of that. Thank you very much for the help and information."

_----------------_

_Pride tried to ignore the droplets of sweat on his face. ("The Sharingan…") "Oh? So you immediately unleash your best ability? I thought that the famous sixth Hokage would start with something else instead."_

"_You killed my apprentice's fiancé…" Hatake Kakashi met Pride's eyes with both his normal eye and the eye that reflected the power of the Sharingan bloodline limit. "And your future is death. Raikiri!" Cupping his right hand, Kakashi growled out as lightning developed within his palm._

_("I didn't even see him perform the seals…") Pride stepped back, unable to take his eye off of that single Sharingan-strengthened orb. ("I must retreat…I have to run…this is too much for even me…")_

_Kakashi bowed his head. "May you find peace in death, coward!" Charging, he extended his hand out and drove the lightning ball right into Pride's chest in the blink of an eye._

Pride roared in anger and slashed his shadow katana through another trio of logs. "Damn you for being born, Hatake Kakashi!" The log halves began to fall. "You made a fool of me in front of Envy and Sloth! I cannot show weakness!" The swords arc changed instantly and turned each of the halves into quarters of their original selves. "I'll get my revenge!"

"Master Pride?"

Pride stopped his rant and dispelled his katana instantly. "A moment, Pain." His hands snapped up and formed a chain of seals. "Second Seal close! First Seal close!" Taking a deep breath, he turned around to look at his key disciple. "Now then, what is it?"

"The Kemukage has called for you." The pale boy kneeled in front of his master. "Master, may I speak freely?"

"You may."

Gulping away his fear, Pain spoke. "You shouldn't let the fact that you were defeated by the Hokage anger you. After all, with your incredible potential you'll reach his level in just a few years, won't you?"

"That's beside the point." Pride growled deeply and reformed a shadow katana with a thought. "My power…I never got a chance to bring it against the Hokage…against Kakashi. I wanted to see if I could beat him or not."

"Could you have? Pardon my ignorance, but I have never fully understand your seals." Pain kept his head down.

Pride looked down at the pieces of log at his feet. "When I was a child my father saw the true power in my skills, and to prepare me for a life as a ninja he placed ten seals over my chakra. They are spirit weights, which will constantly stress my chakra to keep it growing as much as possible through strife."

"I see." Pain bowed once more. "Thank you for enlightening me, master."

"Train…the moment Aiko and the target moves from Konoha we go after them. Inform Blind and Frost of that as well. I want all of you in top form." Pride dispelled the katana once more. "I'm off." He disappeared in a burst of black smoke.

Pain stood up and gasped as the quarters of log split apart into little wooden cubes. ("A delayed strike technique? I didn't know that master Pride knew how to do that…incredible…")

_-----------------_

Kakashi continued to look out his window. ("Maybe I finally have some time for rest and relaxation…")

A knock came at his door.

("Or perhaps I'll never know peace. Why did they even make me Hokage…I'm not driven enough for this job. Then again, they lacked candidates…") Maybe he could retire once someone suitable for the job showed up. "Come in."

The door opened and Aiko walked in. "Kakashi, I need your permission to use the class S training area."

A slight frown shifted the fabric of Kakashi's face-mask. "You want to use that place? Are you that desperate to beat Pride?"

"I want to kill him…because he is a coward." Clenching her fist so tightly it drew blood, Aiko tilted her head towards him. "Do you understand? You remember what had happened…"

"I do." Kakashi sat back in the chair. "Your team was returning from a mission just two weeks ago or so. Then on your way back something impossible happened…the demon showed itself in the light of the full moon. The three of you had no choice but to try and stop it. Luckily Haru's Soul Net technique disabled the demon long enough for you to seal it with the crystal prison technique. In the process, Kane had been injured because he'd needed to forcefully hold the demon in place. If that had been it, then all would have been well…but on your way back to Konoha, Pride attacked your group. Haru and yourself only suffered minor injuries…but Kane was killed to give the both of you an escape. I sensed this and deployed ANBU to intercept, and luckily they arrived in time."

"Please…" Aiko's fingers were stained with her own blood. "I can't let Pride be beaten by anyone else."

"Alright, you have my permission. However, do not die and first make sure that Kin and Kai will be alright. Both of them suffered injuries during the mission." Kakashi stood up out of his chair. "Dismissed."

"Thank you." Aiko slid out.

("I wish I could come along with you, but the title of Hokage is troublesome to no end.") Kakashi narrowed his uncovered eye. ("I hope he got the message in time. Because without him, Kin might not know how to deal with the demon. And now the poor boy is a target. Every member of the Seven Sins will be on the lookout for him.")

As the sun dipped below the mountain lines, a cold chill fell over Konoha.

_To be continued…_


	12. New Team Eight

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 12: New Team Eight

"Oh, he's still asleep?" Ayumi sighed. "Well thank you very much. Please let me know when he is awake." Turning away from the window of the hospital floor, she went over and had a seat. ("Why can't I just hang out with Kakashi-sama until this guy wakes up?")

"Explain to me again why I have to wait here for the mediocrity to wake up?" Kai closed his eyes and rested his back fully against his seat on the bench. "There's no point to it. I could use this time to train."

"Because Kai, he's your teammate." Yurei glared from his seat across the room. "So how about you just take this time to reflect on what training you're going to do. I think all three of us figured out that our current skills aren't going to be enough if we meet those three nutcases again."

Ayumi glanced between the two of them and broke down into helpless laughter. It was so bad she nearly fell out of her seat.

Both boys turned to glare at her.

"I'm sorry…" She tried to stop the laughter and couldn't.

Kai tried to control his anger, but leapt to his feet. "What's so funny?"

Yurei started to laugh too.

"And what are you laughing at, shadow loser?" Kai's eyebrows started to twitch rapidly. "Well?"

Ayumi finally brought her laughter under control. "I'm laughing because both of you are so funny. It was your first mission and you're already talking about improving yourselves like there was anything you could have done if you had been a little stronger."

"What?" Kai spoke quietly through clenched teeth. "How do you know that? And more importantly, what business of it is yours?"

"It's my business because I'm going to be saving your lives during your missions, Kai Otogi." Ayumi stood up and offered a hand to him. "Ayumi Nakashima, the new medical ninja for Team Eight."

"Says who?" Kai glared at her once more and looked away.

"Says one of the greatest ninjas in the world." Ayumi held up a piece of paper and forced his head to turn around and look at it. "Kakashi-sama has instructed me to join your team for now. I'm supposed to make sure that all of you will be alright on missions."

Kai scoffed and turned away. "Fine, just keep out of my way."

"I'd be glad to. Next time you have a horrible injury, I'll just pass you by." Ayumi looked over at Yurei. "Why were you laughing? Don't tell me that someone with a sense of humor is on the same team as the great let-down right there." She pointed at Kai for emphasis.

"You could say that." Yurei chuckled. "We are taking this too badly. Next time we fight them, we'll win with ease."

"There's the attitude that gets things done." Ayumi gave him a thumbs-up. "I'm glad you're on this team, Yurei-san."

Yurei shrugged and stood up. "It's no problem." But deep in his heart he knew what was next on his list of things to do today. ("It's amazing…but I already have to start bringing it along. Who knows though, maybe I won't need to use it.")

Ayumi turned around to look at Kai. "As for you…"

After giving her another glare, Kai looked over at a nearby window. "Just leave me alone. Why the Hokage would assign us an annoying harpy of a girl like you is beyond me." A few seconds later he was crushed face-first on the ground under one of the wooden benches, which had been thrown at him.

Yurei stared at Ayumi in a mix of horror and awe. ("She's fast…")

"So anyway, where's Aiko-sama?" Ayumi looked around the waiting room, ignoring the looks of confusion everyone else was sending her.

"She…" Yurei nearly leapt through the ceiling as he felt a touch on his shoulder.

Aiko, a smile on her face, was sitting in his seat. "I see that Kai has already met Ayumi. How have you been dear? Still keeping Kakashi on his toes?"

"I've been great! And of course!" Ayumi flashed the victory sign. "Every day for the last six months I've glomped him at least once!" Both of them shared a laugh at that.

Yurei just stared at both of them like they were insane. ("What's…a glomp?")

Kai stood up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. However, he apparently learned what would happen if he insulted Ayumi, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. ("I'll kill her when she's not near something that can be thrown.")

A nurse walked into the waiting room. "Excuse me; he's awake now if you want to see him."

_------------_

Kin heard the door to his room open and grinned. "Hey guys, how's it…" His sentence died in his throat as Ayumi was the first to walk in. "Do I know you?"

Ayumi smiled and bowed her head to him. "Ayumi Nakashima, the newest member to Team Eight, pleasure to meet you Kin."

Kin smiled in understanding. "I see. Pleasure to meet you."

The door opened more and Yurei walked in next. "Hey man, how are you? Apparently you got the living snot beaten out of you."

"Eh…I guess so." Kin blushed brightly. "I fought him off though…"

Aiko walked in next. "Hey Kin." Something about the tone of her voice was a mix of interest and anger.

"Hi…" Kin stared at her, confused by her reaction. "What's the problem?"

"Nothing at all." She took a seat in a chair near the door. "Yeah…nothing at all."

When no one else came in Kin rolled his eyes. "So I assume Kai went home?"

"I'm right here." Slowly the boy walked in, giving Ayumi a wide berth. "I just am making sure that no more benches are coming my way."

Kin grinned. "So…what exactly did you do? It must have been pretty bad."

"None of your business."

Yurei's eyes widened in realization of something. "Hey Kin?"

"Yes?" Kin looked over at his teammate. "Is something the matter?"

"Well…." Yurei frowned, not sure how to word his question. "Is there a mirror in the room?" When Kin pointed at the mirror near his bed, Yurei picked it up and held it right in front of his teammate's face.

Kin blinked at his reflection. "………"

Ayumi leaned in and looked at his face closely. "Is something different?"

"Yes…there is…" Kin looked at his cheeks, where there were thin blue eyes right under his eyes, at the top of his cheeks. His pupils were also slotted, like Yurei's always were. "What in the…"

Aiko stood up and brushed herself off. "Yurei, Ayumi, Kai…please go outside for a minute. I need to speak with Kin in private."

They all nodded and filed out.

_---------------_

Kin looked down at his bed sheets. "A demon? Are you…you're joking."

"No. I am dead serious." Aiko stood up. "I apologize for having to tell you it in this way, but you must know. Kakashi told me not to inform you yet, but I cannot risk you meeting Pride himself and trying to activate the Black Destruction Desert again. Apparently it cracked the seal that holds the demon in place. Doing it again might have repercussions that none of us can fathom. So please…"

Kin closed his eyes. "No more, please. I understand…"

She slammed her fist down onto the railing of his bed. "Apparently you don't understand, because this is a…" Kin's fist snapped a few inches from her face. Though she could have countered the mock attack, she didn't because she knew he didn't mean to hit her.

His eyes were open and burned with a dark fire that reflected pain. "Do you think…that I…know nothing of danger? I've lived every day of my life knowing that somewhere within me is a darkness that is capable of destroying everything…do you understand that? So please, let me try to forget what I've got within me…if just for a little while."

She silently stood up. "I will continue to train you as a member of my team. However, if at any point you lose control and the demon emerges, I'll kill you without a moment's hesitation. You understand?"

"Yes." Kin slid out of bed, his new eyes glaring at her forehead protector. "Never again…I will never let it defeat me. I've promised that I will master the Radiant Paradise, and therefore I'll overcome this new hindrance."

She turned and walked out. Ayumi's head poked in a few moments later. "What was all the yelling about?"

Kin smiled warmly. "Nothing at all. So, what would you like to talk about?"

_-------------------------_

It had been a few hours since they had gone to visit Kin in the hospital, and finally Kai had gotten away from all of them. He was in his backyard now, and was training like his life depended on it. ("I must get stronger…I must defeat him!") Kicking his leg out as hard as he could, he felt the sweat drip down his face. ("I will destroy him…with my arms and legs. I will destroy him with my techniques. I will destroy him with everything I have! Pride…I'll crush you!") His father had always told him that he was special. That the whole world would be after him. But he wasn't alone…he had help to protect him. ("And when the time would come, the help would show itself to me. Father, what were you talking about? What help will come?")

_-----------------------_

Yurei bowed to the shrine in his backyard. ("Father...I may have to unleash it soon. From this point onwards in my missions I will carry it with me, though I know you told me only to use it in dangerous situations. This is dangerous though, the people after us will stop at nothing to get what Kin has. As such…I must apologize in advance if I bring it out. The heritage of our family may see use. But if that is the case, I will use _Kage Kifuijin_ with the respect it deserves.")

Stepping back, he focused his eyes on the full moon. ("Burning so brightly in the sky…you don't believe that there is anything wrong with the human race, do you? Yet there are evil men who wish bad things for those I have promised to keep safe. So I will train, because if they want Kin so badly…they'll have to get through me first.")

_-------------------------_

Because he was still in his hospital bed, Kin could only do one type of training at the moment. His hands moved at nearly blur speeds. ("Focus…don't stray from the path…like the water…")

Ayumi, who was supposed to stay in his room and keep an eye out for strange behavior, watched as a thin layer of blue chakra began to shimmer around the boy's form. ("Incredible…is this the White Wind Angel?")

Kin moved with all of his effort, trying to support the Blue Water Dolphin as long as possible. ("Just a little…") Then he lost it, and his hand speeds returned to normal. ("It's too much…I don't have the focus for it…") Then the image of Aiko telling him that she would kill him if she had to came into his head. "No! I will succeed at this!" Snapping his hands up, he began the seals again. "_Suiton; Aumizu Iruka no Jutsu_!"

_-----------------_

Aiko felt the sweat drip down her face. Her forehead protector had been knocked off already, and blood dripped down over her eyes. "Again!"

"Are you…" The operator of the level S test machinery couldn't believe she could stand with the injuries she had.

"I said again!" Aiko snapped her milky eyes to aim at him. "Do it!"

Sighing, he pulled the activation lever. "Alright, as you wish." A hum came from the empty steel room that she was in, while he was separated from her by a thick window that overlooked the training area from the control room. Then all at once the room came alive, the floor splitting into plates and moving crazily around. Seconds later metal needles and shurikens were shot out of different points in the walls. All of them were made to chase chakra sources.

Aiko moved as quickly as she could, ignoring the pain the needles gave her and focusing on the shurikens. ("_Hikarigan_!") Her empty eyes shimmered prismatic and she kept moving, throwing kunai and shuriken at an equal rate to the number leaving the walls. ("I will avenge you Kane! Pride…I will kill you! You should have known not to kill the man I loved, because now I'll bury you right next to him!")

_-----------------_

Pride closed his eyes. "Tell me Pain, what is the status of our target?"

"It is still within Konoha sir. As per the orders of the Kemukage, we are not to attempt to capture the target until they have moved closer to the Country of Lightning's borders. However, at the moment Kemukage has mobilized his political puppets to put Team Eight in a situation that would accomplish that very task."

"Excellent. Inform me when they arrive. Until then, I will be training myself as much as possible." Pride held up his two shadow katana. "By the time I am done, the Shadow Moon fighting style will be complete."

Pain bowed his head once more and disappeared.

Pride smiled slightly to himself. ("Aiko…get stronger for me. Next time we fight, I want to be the one fighting for my life against you. That is exactly why I killed Kane…for no other purpose than to force you to fight me. They said that you were the weakest of your class, but I want to know the truth. So please, get stronger. Next time we meet, it will end between us.")

_-------------------_

Kakashi looked out at the full moon from his seat on the roof of the Konoha town hall. ("There's never a dull time in Konoha, is there? Well, I'll start sending Team Eight on missions the day after tommorow. This will hopefully teach them teamwork. I won't be able to protect them from Pride, and he is still after them. So I will have to hope that each of their special talents can be put to use against him.")

("Aiko, with her abilities to see through illusions by not seeing. However, she'll have to learn how to fight physically to defeat an opponent like Pride, who is immune to most Genjutsu.")

("Kin…he must learn about this Radian Paradise soon. Running fast won't be enough to beat the true power that he faces.")

("Kai must control his emotions. In so many ways he reminds me of Sasuke, but by no means is he near the boy's strength level. He must find his purpose.")

("Yurei has something hidden…it's something he won't use until he has to. Like a shark swimming under the surface of the water, he is waiting for his opportunity to strike.")

("Ayumi's healing powers will of great use…") Kakashi sweat-dropped. "Are you going to let me go yet, Ayumi? And aren't you supposed to be watching Kin at the moment?"

Ayumi grinned and held her glomp tight on Kakashi. "I left a replication to watch him for a minute while I came out to say goodnight."

Sighing, Kakashi looked up at the full moon again. ("Maybe one of these days she'll forget…then again…")

_To be continued…_


	13. Entry to the Country of Lightning

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 13: Entry to the Country of Lightning

_Dear Kakashi-sama,_

_So far the trip to the country of lightning has been interesting. Over the last two weeks we've done a lot of simple D class missions, and it seems like the boys are getting along better. Still no sign of Pride or his servants, but I doubt they would attack us while we are within the lands of the Country of Fire. I'm not sure I follow your logic behind sending Kin outside of the country's borders, but I won't question your great wisdom. _

_Kai is still a bit of an ass, but he seems to not be so cold to the rest of us. So far he hasn't shown incredible improvement with his training, but it seems like he might be holding back his full strength for now._

_Yurei has still been the same strangely nice guy he has always been. The only change I've noticed is that he carries this huge bundled thing over his shoulder all the time. I think it might be a sword, but he doesn't let anyone touch or look at it for too long._

_Kin, so far, hasn't shown anything different. No sign of the demon yet. His skills are improving, and according to him he's just a step away from completing the Blue Water Dolphin. However, I'm not so certain about that._

_Aiko-sama has been the most to change. She has actually smiled a couple of times while we were on some missions. I don't know about her strength increases, because she has yet to fight or even play fight. I'm more worried about her emotional health though._

_This mission you have sent us on is very peculiar though. We're supposed to escort a captive ninja originally from the Country of Lightning to the village of Korroloka that is located just within that country's borders? I have a feeling like you have more planned than that, but I won't question it._

_With my eternal love,_

_Ayumi-chan_

_P.S._

_I'll make sure to catch up on all of the glomps I've missed since I have been gone because I miss you so much and Kai is still forcing me to hurt him a lot and I hate having to sleep outside and…_

Aiko snatched the paper from Ayumi's grasp and rolled it up. "By the pace of your writing I can tell you're done writing the important part of the letter. Don't waste ink."

"I'm not done yet though, Aiko-sama! There's so much I have to say to Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi leapt for the letter, but it was already gone.

Aiko shook her head. "We're entering the border of the Country of Lightning. Once we have passed that line then any letters sent can be considered under scrutiny by the officials of the country. So for now we have to simply leave it at that. Kin, how's the prisoner doing?"

Kin barely heard her. "Uh-huh." Then he continued to glare at the prisoner.

Terubisu glared right back at him. The smoke ninja was glad he was finally returning to his village, but to think he had to be escorted by the very kid who had defeated him…it was ridiculous. His arms were locked behind his back by a special set of sealing chains that would prevent him from gathering Chakra. "I hate you…you ruined my plans at gaining fame amongst my village."

Kin smiled slightly, his slotted eyes staring right into the smoke ninja's soul. "Just to let you know, I'm much stronger now. So don't think you can escape."

"I had no intention of it." Terubisu actually had thought about it, but he was worried about the boy using that speed of his again. Also, the fact that the odds were five against one this time didn't make him feel much safer.

"Good." Kin glanced at Kai, who was wearing his sunglasses. "Your turn to walk the dog." That was a little analogy the group had come up with, since someone had to hold the end of the chakra-locking chain to keep it charged.

Kai grasped the chain and continued walking silently. "We're about to enter the Country of Lightning. Do you think that Pride will attack?"

"No. The border between countries, while well established, becomes blurry when ambushes are concerned. Until we get to Korroloka he won't risk it, because for all he knows Kakashi sent a hidden ANBU squad with us. If he did, they can't enter Korroloka without risking declaration of war." Aiko frowned, wishing that Pride would show himself. She had already gained the necessary training. If he thought that she would be his chakra battery this time, he was dead wrong. ("I'll tear him apart with my bare hands.")

Yurei continued to wander behind the group, a huge fairly flat object that was covered with long bandages over his shoulder. It was about two-thirds his height. ("I can feel something watching us…some kind of shadow eye technique.") Brushing back his long black hair out of his eyes, he glanced behind him and felt a deathly chill run down his back. ("It's that freak from before. He's watching us…his chakra is far too unique.")

Ayumi smiled and trailed back until she was walking alongside Yurei. "What's the matter?"

Snapping out of his concerns, Yurei smiled. "Nothing at all. I was just listening to the sounds of nature around us. And I have to admit…it's pretty interesting." Plastering a calm smile on his face, he kept walking. "So Ayumi, what's a glomp?"

She nearly tripped at that question. "A glomp? Why do you ask?"

"Because you mentioned it when we first met you and, as many have said, I'm a curious soul." Yurei wiped a single drop of sweat away from his forehead with his free arm. For a few moments he felt that chakra again. ("Is he trailing us?")

"A glomp is kind of a flying tackle mixed with a hug." Ayumi tapped her chin with a finger.

"It's a fighting move?" Yurei tilted his head to the side. "It sounds very…" Suddenly Ayumi snapped around and literally latched her arms around his waist, nearly sending him to the ground in surprise. "GAH!"

Letting go, Ayumi threw him a little wink and ran back up to Aiko, who was laughing helplessly. "That is a glomp."

Gulping, Yurei ignored the snicker Kai gave him and kept walking. "I see…."

_-----------_

"They have entered the Country of Lightning." Pain sat in silence, looking at the circle drawn in the wood of the small room they had rented in Korroloka village.

"Let me see!" A slim feminine hand nearly sent the gaunt teen flying as an icy pair of blue eyes locked onto the circle. "So the green-haired one is the receptacle of the demon? Wow, he's cute…"

Pride cleared his throat calmly. "Frost, control your hormones. You'll be the one to capture him for us."

"Of course, Pride-sama!" The thin girl leapt across the room and latched onto his waist.

Pride growled darkly, but didn't remove her. "Forget it…Blind, how go the preparations?"

"Already completed, milord." A heavyset young man wearing a pair of sunglasses stood up from his corner of the room. "When they sleep tonight, they'll awaken to nothing."

"Good. We mobilize right after Pain says they have settled down for the night." Pride rubbed his hands together in anticipation. ("Aiko…be stronger, I beg you.")

_----------------_

"Welcome to Korroloka Village!" A small cheer came up the crowd of villager's who met Team Eight at the edge of the village. At the front of a group a man wearing business robes stepped forward and bowed his head to Aiko. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Aiko-san."

"It's a pleasure to be back, Mayor Saruma." Aiko bowed her head. Ayumi did the same, smacking Kin in the back of the head when he did not do so as well.

Saruma grinned widely as he looked upon Kin, Kai, and Yurei. "My, what strong-looking young men! I don't suppose any of you three would be willing to marry my lovely…" He was silenced by a shoe to the back of the head.

"Father!" A young blond-haired girl about the same age as the boys ran up to her father and put her shoe back on. "Don't you have any shame at all? You ask nearly every boy who looks my age that question!"

Aiko stifled a giggle at the memories she had from her last visit here.

"But I have to find a strong man to keep you safe, my treasure." Saruma rubbed the back of his head. "And each of these boys seem to be able to keep you safe and protected if they were your husband."

"Give her Kin." Kai casually said. He ducked his head as a fist was launched his way from the mentioned Genin.

Yurei chuckled and shouldered his package, ignoring the cold feelings of death that were breathing down his neck. ("Damn it…where are you Pain?") Extending his senses, he tried to locate the boy. But to no avail…

"I have to speak with you for a short while, Saruma-san." Aiko slung an arm around the man's neck. "Tell me, do you have somewhere inconspicuous for us to stay for the evening?"

"Yes we do. We have a guest house that we normally give to traveling lords when they pass through, but we have set it up to support multiple people. Please help yourself." Saruma grinned. "Alicia, show the boys to the house."

Ayumi huffed at the fact that she wasn't mentioned, but decided not to speak up. First impressions would make her seem like a drama queen-ish type person.

_--------------_

"Master Pride." Pain stood up. "I suggest that Frost begin the technique now."

"Do it." Pride stood up and casually slid on his black over-robe. "Bring on the storm, Frost."

The girl began to move her hands as fast as possible, creating hundreds of seals every five minutes. "_Suiton; Chi no Ame_!" Outside, thunder began to crash in the distance. "In a short amount of time…we'll have lots of fun, right Pride-sama?"

"Yeah…" Pride smiled coldly. "The streets will flow red with the blood of the fools who would harbor my prize."

_------------------_

Kin looked around the small room quizzically. "There are only three beds, so someone is going to have to sleep outside."

"Thanks for volunteering." Kai kicked the green-haired boy out of the room and shut the door. "Keep an eye on the prisoner too."

Kin growled and wandered over the window that looked out at the rustic settings of Korroloka. ("This is such a nice place. To think that this might have been my life had I not decided to become a ninja…it's strange and surreal. Though I can never truly have anything like the people of this village have, I don't mind it. Maybe it's because the will of my father runs through my…") Thunder crashed in the distance. ("That's strange…very strange….the sky was clear when we went into town.")

Terubisu, who was chained up to a chair, scoffed at Kin's surprised face. "What's the matter punk? Are you really that worried about just a little rain?"

Kin looked up at the sky through the window and felt a tingle of fear run down his spine. ("What in the heck is…") Then it began to rain. As water dripped down onto the earth, he felt something wrong. ("Why is the water red? And more importantly…why is…") A loud thud came from the front door. Kin nearly jumped out of his seat.

Terubisu had gone silent, he felt it too. ("What is this horrible feeling…")

Kin stood up and walked towards the front door casually.

Terubisu gasped quietly. ("That rain…it's…") "Don't open the door!"

Kin's hand stopped a few inches from the handle. "Why?" Then the door exploded inwards. A bloodied corpse crashed down at his feet. It wore the clothing of one of the local villagers. Kin stared at the corpse in pure fear…his pupils contracted….and then he screamed.

Terubisu tried to stand up, but he couldn't. ("Stupid chains!")

Kin stumbled away from the corpse. "W…w….what in the…"

Snarling as loud as he could, Terubisu roared at the top of his lungs. "Throw the body outside, you fool!"

Then the corpse exploded, spraying hardened shards of bone throughout the entire room.

_-------------_

From outside, in an alley across the street from the house, Pain smiled sickly. "_Karoshi Bakudan_. Death Time Bomb…" He loved that technique of his. By pumping a corpse full of chakra, he could turn that corpse into a grisly bomb any time he wished.

Frost looked up at the sky. "Blood Rain…isn't it interesting?" She held up a hand, which had a blood-red needle of ice pinched between two fingers. "They're dying and all they will ever think is that it's strange rain…right up until they are pierced…"

Blind stepped past both of them. "Now…let us finish the job! _Kuro Moyamoya_!" As he spoke, a black cloud began to form around the entire house.

_-------------_

Kin stared in complete confusion. "Why…"

Terubisu smiled weakly, coughing up a few drops of blood. Somehow he had managed to move in time to stop Kin from getting hurt. Though he was unable to protect himself from the storm of bone shards. "I…I understand…"

"Understand…" Kin stared into the now dying gray eyes of his apparent captive. "But…we're…"

"No…Pride-sama…I'll protect your prize…" Then the ninja crashed, the chair holding him at a strange angle.

Kin quelled his fear, just in time to see darkness cut off his view of the outside. ("I have to make sure that everyone is alright…") He began to turn…

"Terubisu died for my will…excellent." Pride calmly finished sipping his drink, his back rested against the frame of the doorway that led into the kitchen of the house. "Hello, prize."

Kin felt his blood run cold. "Y…y…y…"

Waving his hand, Pride created a katana out of shadow. "Let us go see the darkness, shall we?"

Kin shook his head vehemently. "NO! Keep away from me…" He slid into a Taijutsu stance.

"You wish to fight?" Pride closed his eyes. "Sorry, but I'm taking you now…you don't need your legs or arms…not for what we desire…" He disappeared, appearing inches from Kin. His sword poised to strike. "This will only hurt for a moment."

Kin couldn't believe it… ("He's too fast…I can't track him…I can't…")

The sword fell….

_To be continued…_


	14. Genius of the Shadows

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 14: The Genius of Shadows; Yurei

"_You wish to fight?" Pride closed his eyes. "Sorry, but I'm taking you now…you don't need your legs or arms…not for what we desire…" He disappeared, appearing inches from Kin. His sword poised to strike. "This will only hurt for a moment."_

_Kin couldn't believe it… ("He's too fast…I can't track him…I can't…")_

_The sword fell…._

Kin squeezed his eyes shut. ("I'm sorry father…") A loud clang filled the room.

Pride growled in anger. "Aiko…how annoying of you to always break my sword…"

Aiko stood between Kin and Pride, holding half of the shadow katana's blade in her hand. Dropping the blade to the floor, it dissipated instantly. "I knew you couldn't resist the chance to scare the child." She casually removed her forehead protector, revealing a pair of empty prismatic eyes. "_Hikarigan_!"

"You want to…" Pride gasped in pure surprise and pain as she flat-palmed him once, and sent him shooting into the back wall.

Aiko cracked her knuckles and turned to look at Kin. "Go make sure the others are alright. Pride's disciples have to be stopped before they kill anyone else. Go!"

Kin was snapped out of his shock and saluted. "Yes Ma'am!" Turning on one heel, he ran full speed for the bedroom.

Aiko turned her head to look at Pride, who had walked back into the living room. "This is the last time we'll see each other." Her eyes shimmered. "_Niji Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

------------------

Kin kicked the bedroom door open. "Guys?" There was no one in the room. "Where'd they…"

"_Suiton; Yuki Hari_!"

Kin turned and saw someone right outside the window. "What in…" Then the glass of the window shattered inward and he was pelted by hundreds of cold needles that punctured his flesh.

Frost stepped through the shattered window casually. "You're still standing? Good, then I get to play." Her hands began to form seals.

Kin growled and with one flex forced the needles back out the way they had come. "_Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!"

---------------------

Kai had agreed with Yurei's plan to hide outside as soon as they saw the three disciples, but now they were in trouble. They had gotten separated, and now Kai was trapped within the black cloud that had formed around the house before. ("It's being controlled by someone…") Snapping out his sunglasses, he slid them onto the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"I want to see…let me see through your eyes…by removing them from your head." The darkness closed in around Kai's body.

("He's gathering chakra for some kind of strange effect? What is the effect though?") Kai back-flipped a few times to get out of the cloud. But no matter how far he went, he couldn't get out of it. ("He's tracking me with it. Where-ever I move it will move.") Grimacing, he widened his eyes and began to search for some kind of weakness in this move. ("He wants me blind, but why? So far he hasn't attacked me at all, which leaves me to wonder what exactly he has planned for me.")

"I suppose by now you are wondering what exactly I intend to do to you." Blind's gruff voice echoed out into the cloud. "You will see very soon. Are you ready to face your darkest fears?" Standing right outside of the cloud, he sneered. "Welcome to the Nightmare Cloud! _Akumu Moyamoya_!" Seconds later Kai's screams of fear echoed from inside the cloud. ("The illusion that will pitch you into your darkest fears…")

-----------------

Yurei stood at the end of one street, and Pain at the other. "I've been waiting for you to show your face." Ayumi stood behind him, kunai in hand.

"Is the girl really necessary?" Something about Pain seemed different to Yurei. It was the fact that the first Pain he had met had acted frail and weak, while this one carried himself with the kind of strength that radiated off of him like the stink of a corpse.

"Ayumi-san, please let me fight him." Yurei dropped the bundled item from his shoulder into her waiting arms. "I have to settle a score I have with him." Sliding into a Taijitsu stance, he took a deep breath. "Pain, let's finish it here."

"Deal." The gaunt ninja slid into a similar fighting stance. And then at once they charged towards each other at full speed.

("Why do I feel the need to end him? Why do I feel the need to finish this fight right now?") Yurei already knew the answer to that question, and it flashed in his mind right before his fist crashed into Pain's face. ("It is because he is wrong...he is what I could have become.") Pain's fist cracked into his face roughly. ("But I did not succumb to the darkness…I fought it…") Their fists scraped down each other's face, and Yurei slammed his other fist into Pain's chin. As Pain was forced backwards, he slid into a spread crouching position and sprung like a wild animal, his first fist hitting the underside of Pain's chin and forcing him to straighten out. The second blow slammed into the gaunt ninja's throat, pushing his Adam's apple so far back it touched his spinal cord for a moment. And then they broke away, Pain already dead before he touched the ground.

Ayumi stared in complete amazement. She had never seen someone strike like Yurei did. It was like watching a wild animal at work.

Yurei looked at the fallen Pain calmly. ("You're not dead for real…stand up and let's continue.")

A loud crack came from Pain's neck, and then he stumbled to his feet, head hanging at a strange angle. His lips curled up slightly into a sick smile. Then he charged full speed towards Yurei again.

Yurei snapped his arm out and almost through Pain's gut, sending the boy sailing backwards another ten feet. "It's not really you…is it?" Sure enough, Pain disappeared in a flash of smoke and the corpse of a villager took its place. "It was never you. That's a sick technique…beyond sick in fact…"

Ayumi realized what Pain had done. ("He…he used his chakra to transform a corpse into a copy of himself…") Bile started to rise in her throat. That was…

"You like it?" Pain stepped out from behind a building, followed by another Pain. Both of them smiled at the same time. "_Shi Bunshin_ is a technique I rarely use, but in your case I have to make an exception. Though it isn't so much fun, because I don't get to feel that lovely pain that you inflict, it is necessary to beat you. Your ability to create shadow replications is dangerous…very dangerous…"

Yurei turned to face them both. "Don't compare my technique to yours. How can you defile the dead so?"

"Defile? They should be exalted for being allowed to serve me in this way." Both of the Pains separated, approaching Yurei's front from different angles. "I am the god of death, or don't you know that?"

"If you were the god of death, then I would feel fear. However…" Yurei barely moved in response to their approach. "You are not. Death is not a toy, like you treat it. Haven't you ever lost someone important to you?"

"Never…" Both Pains slid into a weird stance, their arms dangling limply at their sides and their bodies nearly collapsing from the loss of effort to stand. "_Shi Ninpou_!" Then both bodies began to flail insanely fast, their arms, legs and joints making impossibly loud crack noises as they popped out of their sockets. Now both of them hovered in the air motionlessly.

Ayumi had already vomited onto the street, the sounds too much for her.

Yurei stood there, and other than his nostrils flaring he didn't move.

One of the Pains lifted its head up on its now rubbery neck. "Here we go…" Then they both shot forward.

Yurei closed his eyes. "We'll see how powerful you are…" His eyes snapped open and he was moving, right before he was suddenly assaulted by eight different attacking body parts. Repeatedly he had to throw his arms up to block, and as he was forced back he understood why Pain had popped the joints out of the sockets of his puppets. ("They no longer have to follow the limitations of the body's reach. Each limb of the puppet can now attack me unabated by what the rest of him is doing.") His speed increased slightly as the puppets fell into an insane dance of attacking, neither of them striking with any sort of rhythm. ("However, I am a user of Taijutsu, and as such you won't be able to hit me so easily.")

Finally the assault stopped, and both puppets floated back a few feet from him. Then one of them lifted its head at a jaunty angle and smiled insanely. "And here I thought you were clever…such a shame a genius fell for such a simple attack."

"What are you talking about?" Yurei narrowed his eyes, becoming more aware of everything around him now. ("Is he going to attack me again with more puppets than just those two?")

"You don't get it, do you?" The puppet started to laugh hauntingly. "Take a look at your arms."

Yurei glanced down at his arms…and saw dozens of darkening black bumps all along his body. ("What…what is this?")

"Every human being has 361 points on their body known as the Tenketsu." The puppet floated a little closer to Yurei. "They are needle-width spots all over the body that when hit properly allow me to manipulate your flow of chakra. Well…"

"You attacked my Tenketsu? But…" Yurei couldn't believe he didn't feel the touch to those spots. "That can't be…you're lying. If you had hit the Tenketsu, you could have shut down the flow of chakra to my body…"

"What's the fun in that?" The puppet licked its lips. "I gave each Tenketsu a small sample of the unique death chakra that runs through my body. Just enough that…" Yurei gasped as his right arm fell limp to his side. "…I can kill you, piece by piece."

Ayumi stared at the puppets in fear. ("This kind of ninja…how could he exist. Could anything human actually enjoy death this much?")

Yurei gasped in pain as his left arm fell limp to his side. ("I was careless…I should have used _Kage Kifuijin_ immediately. It's too late now…I don't have arms to fight…") His right leg went numb, and he dropped to one knee. ("I'm sorry…I'm sorry father.")

Ayumi clenched her fist and began to form seals as quickly as she could. ("I have to help!")

One of the puppets turned around to look at her with bulging eyes. "What are you doing? Are you going to fight too? You want to play with me that much? Okay…let's play…" It began to float towards her slowly.

Ayumi knew that her best technique would have no effect on such an opponent. ("I need to heal Yurei before he dies…I have to…I can't let him die!") "_Doton;_…." Her eyes widened and she fell to her knees, screaming and clutching her head.

"Ayumi-san!" Yurei tried to stand up, but collapsed to his knees again. "What did you do?"

"It's just a little death illusion…don't be so afraid for her. She'll be fine…" The first puppet turned to look at him with an amused expression on its face. "Well…she'll be fine for as long as you keep me entertained."

Yurei felt his chest grow cold and started to have trouble breathing. ("No…I'm dying…and I can't let that happen. Stand up…stand up!") He felt another cold wave across his chest and he felt his heart slow to the point of nearly stopping. His consciousness began to waver. ("No…she won't die because of my mistake…") A low growl came from his lips.

"It looks like you're done…how sad…" The puppet began to turn to look at Ayumi. "Maybe she'll last longer…though I doubt it…"

Everything started to get dark for Yurei… ("Ayumi…I'll protect you. I won't let anyone die…no one will die…") His head drooped as he ran out of air.

"Looks like it is just you and me…dearie…" The puppet reached out slowly to rub Ayumi's face.

"Don't touch her…don't touch her you disgusting…beast…" Yurei slowly stood up. His eyes opened to reveal the slits that were his pupils now in much more definition. Lifting his upper lip, he revealed a pair of elongated canine teeth. "_Ichiji-teki Kyoki_!"

Both puppets turned to look at him. "What's this? You can stand?" They both launched at him full speed.

His eyes widened slightly and he dove past both puppets, avoiding their attacks easily. Then he picked up into a run down the street. ("I can see through you…I can see through it!") Skidding to a halt, he charged full speed for a nearby house door. Slamming shoulder-first into it, he shattered the wood and flew into the living room. Standing there was Pain and another puppet. The puppet launched right at him and struck him numerous times across the body. Then he brushed past it without a thought. His target was set.

Pain didn't panic. Instead he moved his hands as quickly as he could to perform the seals for the Resurrection technique. ("If he kills me before I accomplish it, I'll…")

"That's the way you return to life, right?" Yurei was already holding both of Pain's hands to his sides. "It's too late for that…it's the end!" His forehead struck full force onto Pain's nose, shattering it instantly.

Pain tugged his arms away and started to form the seals again. ("I will not die!")

"No, you won't die…I won't kill you!" Yurei's foot slammed into Pain's midsection, and then his elbow struck his back, forcing Pain to his knees. "But I will make sure you don't hurt anyone ever again! _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Four copies of himself appeared in the four corners of the room. "My final attack!" Each of the replications ran at Pain and grabbed either an arm or a leg. Then they, as one, ran outside and leapt as high as they could into the air.

Pain looked at each of them in confusion. "What are you doing?" The real Yurei stood underneath them. Then all four of them hammer-fisted him straight down into the real Yurei, who stopped him with full force punch to the gut.

Ayumi slowly lifted up her head, the horrible nightmare that she had been in now over. "Yurei…Yurei…" She turned around, and stared in amazement. ("He's standing…that can't be.")

Yurei dropped Pain to the ground. "You won't hurt anyone else ever again."

Barely conscious, Pain heard these words. But he couldn't believe them. ("Pain is my name and my life…you cannot expect me to…")

"If you hurt anyone ever again, I'll kill you for real." Yurei cracked his knuckles. "Got it?"

Pain stared at him for a few moments, and then passed out.

Ayumi couldn't believe Yurei had actually expected someone like Pain to mend his ways…

"Are you coming?" Yurei was standing next to her, the bundle over his shoulder. "Aiko-sensei probably needs our help."

She stood up and nodded resolutely. "Let's go."

_To be continued…_

Author's Notes: So how am I doing so far?


	15. Shifting like the Tides

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 15: Shifting like the tides

_Kin kicked the bedroom door open. "Guys?" There was no one in the room. "Where'd they…"_

"_Suiton; Yuki Hari!"_

_Kin turned and saw someone right outside the window. "What in…" Then the glass of the window shattered inward and he was pelted by hundreds of cold needles that punctured his flesh._

_Frost stepped through the shattered window casually. "You're still standing? Good, then I get to play." Her hands began to form seals._

_Kin growled and with one flex forced the needles back out the way they had come. "Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu!"_

Frost gritted her teeth, right before she had the air blown out of her by a clothesline from Kin. Locking her head in place, he charged out through the window and into the middle of the street. ("I wasn't able to stop him before he activated the technique…")

"Sorry, I have to end this quickly!" Kin ran in a tight circle before he let go of her head, trapping her within the rapidly formed whirlwind he had created.

Frost was so off-balance that she could do little but get lifted to the top of the whirlwind. ("Damn…")

Kin appeared above her, riding the whirlwind easily. "_Shirakaze Rendan_!" Slamming her in the back with a drop-kick, the whirlwind reversed directions and slammed them both into the ground roughly with an explosion of dirt.

A few seconds later, Kin came rolling out of the whirlwind, the white silk-like aura around his body gone. "It's over. Now I have to find the others." Turning, he walked away the crater he had created slowly.

"_Suiton; Ninpou Yuki Fuuin_!"

Kin froze in his tracks. ("What…she's okay?") He tried to turn to face her, but he couldn't move his feet. ("What's the matter with me?") Looking down at his legs, he saw why. Thick layers of ice had formed around his feet, holding him to that spot of earth easily.

Frost giggled and walked out of the crater, nothing wrong with her but a little dirt on her clothing. "That would have hurt…" She squeezed some water out of her hair. "If I didn't saturate the ground with water in that area. Since I did, I had you trapped. All I had to do was force water to the area around your feet and then freeze that water after it gushed up. You're trapped. I know that if you can't run when you have that technique going, you'll explode with chakra overload." Her hands started to form seals. "_Suiton; Yuki Hari_!"

Kin braced himself as his body was peppered with hundreds of ice needles. ("I can't fight back…can I? Without the White Wind Angel I have no way to…") His eyes hardened and he took a deep breath. ("I have to do this with perfect timing, because if she sees what I'm about to do she'll be sure to try and stop me.")

Frost walked around him, keeping a safe distance from his arms. "You're an interesting boy…you know that? I like the eyes, by the way. Very demonic…"

Kin growled deep within his throat at her. ("Calm down…calm down…")

She giggled again and took a few steps away from him, her hands forming those same seals. "_Suiton; Yuki Hari_!" Lifting a hand up to her mouth, she formed a little ring shape with her thumb and index finger. When she blew into it, a storm of needles came out the other side.

Kin bit back his pain, anger, and humiliation as he felt the numerous cold pricks of pain shoot up all along his body.

"So you're not going to scream or get mad? Then I'll end it now." She formed a new set of seals. "_Suiton; Yuki Hari Tsunami_!" She raised her hands up and the air became misty. "You'll love this…" She faded from view as the mist grew thicker.

("Now!") Kin's hands moved as fast as they ever had in his life.

Frost smiled coldly. ("The Snow Needle Storm will hit him on all sides…it's the end!") She clapped her hands together and the mist turned reflective as the sky filled with icy needles. "Let the icy sting remind you that you are mortal." Then it rained death down at Kin.

Kin felt his chakra surge within his body, and something was different about it this time. ("I can feel it…I can feel the wheel!") "_Suiton; Aumizu Iruka no Jutsu_!"

Frost heard this and shrugged it off. ("He can't escape the…") Her mind froze as pain filled her from head to toe. Somehow she tilted her head down and realized that she was completely covered in her own ice needles. "This…" Her head lifted to look at Kin.

Kin was surrounded by a glowing aura of blue chakra that moved like water. "The Blue Water Dolphin technique…completed."

("He deflected every single needle towards me before they hit him? That's impossible…") Frost started to fall towards the ground back-first.

"When you wake up, consider if it is worth your life trying to harm me or my friends again." Kin disengaged the Blue Water Dolphin as she passed out from the pain. ("Now to get free and find the others.")

_---------------------------_

"_I suppose by now you are wondering what exactly I intend to do to you." Blind's gruff voice echoed out into the cloud. "You will see very soon. Are you ready to face your darkest fears?" Standing right outside of the cloud, he sneered. "Welcome to the Nightmare Cloud! Akumu Moyamoya!" Seconds later Kai's screams of fear echoed from inside the cloud. ("The illusion that will pitch you into your darkest fears…")_

After a few minutes, Blind withdrew the cloud back into his hands. ("He should be cowering in fear by now.") Sure enough, Kai was curled in a ball on the ground. "I've won." Drawing a kunai, Blind slowly walked towards Kai. "This is the end for you…let me free you from your misery." Lifting the weapon up, he prepared to drive it down.

Kai disappeared and appeared behind Blind. "Do you think I'd fall for that illusion?"

Blind gasped right before he was struck in a nerve at the back of neck, knocking him unconscious immediately.

Kai shook his head and walked off. ("Genjutsu users are fools…")

_------------------------------_

An explosion shook the village as Pride was sent flying through another wall.

The Aiko rainbow replication casually strolled towards the hole he had created. "What's the matter Pride? Am I not so easy to pick on now? Maybe you should have killed me when you had the chance."

Pride stumbled to his feet, his gray hair disheveled and his eyes narrowed in both anger and shock. "You've improved by so much in such a short time…you are truly amazing, Aiko-chan."

Another replication appeared out of nowhere and punched him full strength in the gut. "Don't call me Aiko-chan, you slime."

Grabbing at the spot she hit, Pride dropped to his knees and gasped for air a few times before his breathing regulated itself. ("I have to open the first two seals for now…") He stumbled to his feet and towards the nearest wall, his hands fumbling rapidly.

Aiko narrowed her prismatic eyes and leapt forward, grabbing his arms and twisting them painfully. "You think I'll let you perform a technique?"

Pride sneered and disappeared in a puff of black smoke. He appeared out in the middle of the street, his hands completing the simple seals. "You're too late. Seal one open!" A light trickle of chakra came from him. "Seal two open!" The trickle grew bigger, but not significantly so.

Both of the Aikos crossed their arms across their chests. "That's it? Come now, where's your real power?"

Pride smiled slightly. "Very well…Seal three open!" The chakra flow rose, and he formed a shadow katana. "Let's go, Aiko-chan."

"Don't call me that!" Both Aikos disappeared and appeared on both sides of him. They punched for his face at the same time, but were completely surprised when he ducked under the blow and stabbed one in the chest with the tip of his sword. She disappeared in a burst of colored smoke.

Pride slashed the weapon across the chest of the other replication and it blew apart into green smoke. "You can't toy with me now. Show yourself."

Aiko, the real one, stepped out from around a corner. "Let's go…I'll show you something I owe Kane. A move he always did but never bothered to teach me." She charged at him, going full speed.

Pride snapped the katana at her, but she was already gone. ("She's that fast?") Then he remembered that rainbow replications were one-seventh the strength of the original. ("If that is true, I have to open the next two seals.") He relaxed his swinging arm.

Aiko's face appeared a few inches from his. "Forget about me already?" She bashed her forehead against his head, sending him sliding back. Then she pushed off the ground, striking his side with a roundhouse kick at full strength. As his body leaned in to the blow to lessen the damage, she saw her opening in the form of his exposed neck. "Guillotine Fist!" The edge of her right hand slammed full force against his exposed neck.

Pride's vision swam as pain shot up his neck. "What…what did…" Pushing her away, he stumbled back and clutched at his burning neck.

"I struck a chakra point on your body that controls your inner balance." Aiko leapt forward and dealt a devastating three blow attack to his head, instantly flooring him. "You won't stand a chance against me…"

Pride's brain was throbbing now. ("That annoying bitch just did it.") He snarled and made one seal. "Four and five emergency release!"

Suddenly Aiko was launched backwards by a blast of chakra that had come from his body. ("What was that?")

Pride, his vision normal again, stood up slowly. ("She's definitely stronger than she looks. I think I'll have to show her six.") His hands blurred together. "Seal six open!" An aura of chakra flared to life around him. "Now you get a small taste of my true power…let's go!" Forming two shadow katana, he disappeared and appeared behind her. Aiko disappeared and appeared behind him. They did this to each other for a full minute, before finally they appeared a few feet apart and facing each other on another street.

Aiko didn't dare start to breathe hard yet, even though she wanted to. ("He's as fast as I am now…how can someone hide their power like he can?") Then she realized what he had said, about this being only a small taste of his true power. ("Though my training resulted in a great increase of my physical power, I still don't have much physical stamina. There's no chance I'll last another seal being opened. I have to take him down now…and that means I'll need to use the Rainbow Dragon Spiral.") Closing her eyes, she growled darkly. This was risky. "_Niji Bunshin no Jutsu_!" She exploded into seven rainbow replications, each of which stood in a circle around Pride.

Pride glanced amongst them slowly. ("I see…by putting yourselves in that formation you can counter me if I try to attack one.") He snapped both shadow katana up. "Then I'll defeat your replications with replications…"

Each of the Aikos began to form the same set of seals.

"_Kage Tsuki…no mai_!" A copy of Pride appeared behind each Aiko replication. "And then there was one…"

"_Nijiryu no Jutsu_!" All seven Aiko clones yelled out at once. There was an explosion of energy as seven different colored dragons exploded from their hands and between to dance in the air around Pride.

Pride instantly lost his connection to the Shadow Moon replications. "What…is this?"

The seven dragons began to weave and create a glittering pattern of beautiful light as they started to entrap him within it.

Each of the Aikos smiled at once. "It's a move I came up with after pondering how to prevent you from escaping. The Rainbow Dragon Spiral…the perfect seal and killing move in one attack."

The pattern condensed to the point that Pride had disappeared, somewhere within the ball of glowing rainbow lights that was in his place. Then the energy condensed into solid crystal.

"By manipulating my abilities to create gems from chakra, I can change the energy used for my Rainbow Dragon technique into a crystal shell that will prevent you from escaping. Also…" The red and purple-haired Aikos charged in towards the ball and dropped to their backs, sliding towards it. Then they pushed off the ground when they reached it, kicking it straight up into the air.

The green and blue-haired Aikos rebounded off the other twos' chests and kicked the ball even higher. Then the orange and indigo-haired Aikos rebounded off their sisters and kicked the ball up another twenty feet, leaving it spinning insanely fast sixty feet in the air.

The yellow-haired Aiko appeared above the ball, her leg nearly folded to her back in preparation for this kick. "…it's the end for you. _Nijiryu Sensha_!" Her hair returned to rainbow and she kicked the ball as hard as she possibly could. Little hairline fractures appeared in the crystalline surface right as the ball was launched towards the ground at super-speed. "Oh, and one more…" The ball began to glow brightly. "I can change crystal to energy just as easily."

The ball shimmered and melted downwards, reforming into the dragon shape it had originally been. Howling, the huge rainbow dragon crashed into the ground and vanished, burning deep into the earth with its power.

Aiko hit the ground roughly, barely able to break the fall at all. ("I nearly burned myself out there…but it worked. I felt him in there every step of the way, and that means he's currently not only badly injured, but trapped about a hundred feet underground.") Taking a few more deep breathes; she sat back and closed her eyes. ("It's finally over…I can finally say that I have protected your memory…Kane…")

_-----------------_

He was cold…cold and yet it burned… ("That little bitch…she did this to me? Incredible…she improved so much in such a short time.") His lips curled slightly, ignoring the dirt that swallowed him up easily. ("It's amazing to think she pushed me to my sixth seal and actually beat it. I'll have to congratulate her with a quick death…") "Seventh seal…open."

_------------------_

Aiko stood up and brushed herself off. ("I didn't even have to push my chakra to its limit. My training really paid off.")

The earth around the spot where her dragon spiral had struck started to churn. "Aiko…oh Aiko…"

She paled and immediately started to form the seals for the rainbow dragon. ("I'll kill him…I won't let him…")

An explosion shook the earth as Pride launched free. The moment his feet touched the ground he disappeared.

"_Nijiryu…_" Aiko gasped in pain and looked down at the blade sticking out of her chest. ("There's that much difference between his sixth and seventh seals? Is…is he that strong?")

Pride slid the blade free slowly. "You did well…you've gotten the closest out of a lot of people I've fought…but still, it's no good. I cannot fall that easily, my dear Aiko. Isn't it funny how I'm fourteen, and yet I'm strong enough to make you seem like you are standing still? Perhaps, just maybe, you were never meant to be a ninja? Maybe you would have been better off admitting your blindness and leaving it at that?"

She clenched her fist tightly. ("Bastard…you bastard…") Coughing up a few drops of blood, she tried to move. But it hurt far too much to do so. ("I failed…forgive me…Kane…")

"Ponder your failure in death." Pride's sword dropped towards her neck…and then was stopped by something wrapped up in linen coverings. "Hmm?"

Yurei's arms were quivering slightly from merely stopping the force of Pride's sword swing, but he knew that if he softened it would be the end of Aiko-sensei. ("No…I won't fall.") He had used the wrapped bundle as a shield to block the attack. "So…you're Pride huh?"

"Yes, I am. And you must be Yurei…which means that Pain failed. How sad that my foolish apprentice lost to someone like you." Pride formed another sword. "Anyway, die now." The other blade fell towards Yurei's face…but never got there. The bundle was long enough to stop each blade with a different end. "What exactly is in there anyway?"

Yurei smiled slightly. "You want to see? I suppose it would be alright, since you seem like the kind of person to acknowledge fine art." Smacking the underside of the bundle, he knocked both of Pride's katana away and took a few steps back. "Ayumi, please keep an eye on Aiko-sensei."

Ayumi ran over and started to drag Aiko away from the street and towards an alley. "Won't you need help? He just took her out…"

"No…I'll be okay." Yurei tugged on the wrappings of the bundle, and it started to loosen. "In fact…I'm kind of curious just how powerful you really think you are." As the wrappings gathered at his feet, the item was revealed. It was a long straight sword with a black body. The hilt and guard both were grey-black and plain. It stood a little taller than half of Yurei's body. "Let's go, _Kage Kifuijin_. We've got see which one has the better blade."

_To be continued…_


	16. Heart's Blade

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 16: Heart's Blade

_Yurei smiled slightly. "You want to see? I suppose it would be alright, since you seem like the kind of person to acknowledge fine art." Smacking the underside of the bundle, he knocked both of Pride's katana away and took a few steps back. "Ayumi, please keep an eye on Aiko-sensei."_

_Ayumi ran over and started to drag Aiko away from the street and towards an alley. "Won't you need help? He just took her out…"_

"_No…I'll be okay." Yurei tugged on the wrappings of the bundle and it started to loosen. "In fact…I'm kind of curious just how powerful you really think you are." As the wrappings gathered at his feet, the item was revealed. It was a long straight sword with a black body. The hilt and guard both were grey-black and plain. It stood a little taller than half of Yurei's body. "Let's go, Kage Kifuijin. We've got see which one has the better blade."_

Pride narrowed his eyes and lifted his shadow katana to point at Yurei. "Don't get smug with me, you little punk. If you're a student under Aiko, then what hope do you have against me if I defeated her easily?"

Yurei grasped the hilt of his sword and pulled it out of the ground. Though the weapon looked like it weighed a lot, he mimicked Pride's action easily. "Aiko-sensei is a strong fighter. Her abilities to create illusions are exceptional. But her physical attack powers are rather weak. So all in all, I can't say that I'm that weak compared to her in the close-range department. Of course, that's just my opinion."

"You're a Genin and you want to pick a fight with me? You have some real guts…that's for sure." Lifting the katana, Pride charged right at Yurei. "Die!"

Yurei snapped the thick sword blade back and stopped the first attack from Pride, but it left his arms tingling from the force. ("He's incredibly powerful…those arms hide the strength of a titan.") Stumbling back, he tried to perform a feint with the blade but was forced to defend as another blow slammed into the blade of his sword. ("Maybe I spoke too…")

Pride's hand shot out and slapped the flat side of the sword, sending it out of Yurei's hand and into the air in a wild spin. "You challenged me to a sword fight? How stupid are you?"

Yurei felt the weapon's arc, and grimaced. ("He's far too strong…far too strong…but I have to try.") Backing up slowly, he felt out for the exact location of his sword while keeping himself ready to dodge Pride's attack. ("Where are you?")

Pride followed calmly, not even in a stance. "You actually wanted to fight me with a sword? At your level?" His eyes let out a golden glow. "Such an insult to the fighting prowess of a true warrior…I'll kill you with extreme prejudice." He disappeared and appeared ten feet away from Yurei in the opposite direction. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the delayed reaction cut technique? It's where someone cuts a target and then stops the force of the cut with their chakra. A skilled warrior can keep the delay going for as long as they wish." He turned to look at Yurei's back. "In one moment I can kill you. All it takes is my will to do so…"

Yurei felt a drop of sweat slide down his cheek. ("I…I don't know…what to do. His strength is beyond what I expected…") Slowly, he turned to face Pride with the strongest fake smirk on his face. ("I can bluff, but if what he said is true…I'm already dead.")

Pride sneered. "You have a look on your face like you might want to say something…well then speak up. I want to hear what your last words are."

"My last word would have to be something worth saying. Of course…" Yurei's smirk broke into a bit of an amused smile. "I'm not ready to say that word yet."

"Is that so?" Pride tapped the blade of his katana against the ground. "Then let me ask you a question. Why would you jump out and try to protect this pitiful excuse of a human being?"

"Because she isn't pitiful…not like you are. She still has her soul…" Yurei closed his eyes. "I don't accept that you are very strong. After all, if you were so strong then you would be able to defeat Hokage-sama."

Pride snarled darkly. "You would dare to chastise me for such a thing? Well then…your life ends here." He let the chakra from his cut go.

Yurei clutched at his chest, and blood started to stain his shirt. ("I…I…I can't fail yet…I can't let myself be defeated…") He clenched his fist as tightly as possible. ("I can stop it…I can!") Then the blood stain stopped growing.

Pride frowned and tilted his head to the side. ("Surprisingly, he managed to negate my delayed cut. That makes him slightly amusing…but he still dared to chastise me for having to run from the Hokage.") He lifted the katana up and bent at the knees. "Good bye forever…good bye…"

"Good bye comes when two people plan on seeing each other again." Yurei clenched his fist even tighter. "Do you plan on coming back from the dead?"

"You're good at keeping your cool, but you know the truth about this situation. You…" Pride appeared in front of Yurei, kneeing him right in the gut. "Are…" He appeared behind Yurei, and slammed the butt of his sword's hilt into the back of the boy's head. "Beaten!" He slashed the weapon's blade through Yurei, not in the least surprised to see two pieces of wood crash to the ground instead of bloody body parts. ("Replacement techniques won't save you from me…") A small smile crossed his face. ("I can sense you…I can tell where you are.")

Twenty feet away, Yurei grasped the hilt of his sword and wrenched it free, staring at the blade for a few moments. ("Is it possible…that after all I've worked for…you still aren't strong enough to match an opponent? Am I really that weak of a soul? Grandfather, you were wrong…")

"_They say that the strongest Heart Rods are those that seem to reject their users at first. Most are agreeable to begin with…"_

Yurei's eyes hardened. ("I worked so hard to make you accept me…Shadow Lady. Why are you unable to defeat this enemy? I thought that when the time was right, we'd work like a team and destroy whoever threatened our friends and family. Was I wrong?")

Pride coughed sharply. "Have you forgotten about me so quickly? Then let me remind you I'm here!"

Yurei growled and turned, his blade connecting with the blade of the shadow katana. Sparks came from both blades as the wielders pushed against each other with all of their might. ("This is my chance…my chance…")

-----------------

"_Hey grandpa!" Yurei, only five years old, ran over to his grandfather's normal place of rest during the day, which was an old chair located right on the porch of their home. "Can you tell me the story about the Heart Rods? I love that story…"_

"_Of course…" Yurei's grandfather cleared his throat. "But first, bring yours out."_

_Yurei placed his hand over his heart and a faint light came from his palm. When he drew his hand away he was holding a black steel rod about the size of a battery. "Here it is…"_

_Yurei's grandfather grasped it and held it up in front of his eyes. "Long ago, the Akurei family came across a rare vein of mineral within a mine. Taking their great knowledge of weapon forging, they tried to make a sword out of the mineral. What they got was a weapon that became sentient, nearly killing all of the members of the clan. Luckily they disabled it before things had gotten out of hand. As they mulled over the mistake, a young boy," he smiled and patted Yurei's hair down. "About your age actually, found a piece of the mineral and kept it close to his heart as a memento. The mineral formed into a small metal rod known as a Heart Rod over time."_

_Yurei looked at his own, which still rested in his grandfather's hand. "Is it true that the Heart Rods are able to think and feel on their own?"_

"_Of course…they are living creatures. Every Akurei member, when they were born, had a small piece of the special mineral found so many centuries ago placed into their heart. It learns their mind, and some say even begins to mimic their soul. Then when the rod is complete, it comes out of their heart and remains by their side forever."_

_Yurei pouted. "But why can't I hear my rod at all?"_

"_It doesn't normally speak in words…" Yurei's grandfather chuckled. "Of course, there are always exceptions. Some say that the strongest Heart Rods are those that oppose their wielders once they gain sentience. For now, your Heart Rod simply doesn't possess the energy to respond to you."_

"_Oh…well, when will it be able to?"_

-------------

("All in due time, my child…all in due time…") Yurei repeated the words his grandfather had spoken, and then pushed as hard as he could against the forceful blade of Pride. But he was sliding backwards, unable to stop himself. ("Yet it never was that way, was it? Shadow Lady never truly accepted me…")

-------------------

_Yurei roared out and snapped a small grey-handled dagger around in his family's backyard. He was now eight. ("I will surpass the power of my father. I'll gain a true affinity with my Heart Rod…") Over the last three years, his rod had decided upon what its form would become. In the end it chose a blade, and over those last few years had slowly transformed into a dagger. But from its shape and chakra, Yurei's father had assumed that by the time it would be done that it'd be a sword. _

_("And yet I still don't know the name of my rod. It refuses to speak to me. I'll break your dislike of me through hard work…I will!") Yurei moved like a dancer across the grounds, snapping the weapon in beautiful formations. ("I…I want to meet you. I want to know who you are.")_

_His grandfather had always told him that his Heart Rod was grey-black to represent his great talent with shadow techniques…and because of other reasons that he refused to ever speak of. ("And yet if that's true…why won't it talk to me? Is it possible that it's so strong it thinks that it doesn't need me?")_

----------------------

("Then one day it spoke to me…if for a fleeting moment.") Yurei pushed back, but knew he wasn't going to be able to overcome Pride's awesome skill. ("My name is _Kage Kifuijin_ is what it said, in a female voice. It is Shadow Lady…") And yet the rod never spoke to him again. It grew into an enormous blade of incredible toughness, but it refused to 'say' anything more to him. ("I always envisioned that you were like a sleeping princess waiting for that kiss from the prince to wake you up. I thought that kiss needed to be the perfect battle against a strong opponent…but now I know I'm wrong. Nothing I can do will wake you up, will it?")

Pride shoved roughly, knocking Yurei off his feet. "You're finished."

"Not yet!" Yurei did a back-flip, and then as soon as his feet touched the ground again he charged, connecting blades once more with the Sin. "I'll stop you!"

"Will you?" Pride's free hand made a little motion and another katana appeared in it. "Then let's test that bravery of yours with this." He snapped the blade of the new weapon toward Yurei's head.

"Son of a…" Letting go of Shadow Lady's hilt, he broke into another wave of back-flips. At the last one he pushed off the ground and moved his hands as quickly as he could. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" When he landed on the ground, there was ten of him.

Pride kicked Shadow Lady up and caught it, dispelling his second katana and favoring Yurei's weapon instead. "Very heavy looking, but actually incredibly light. It's amazing that such a mediocre swordsman could own such a fine weapon. You called her Shadow Lady? Even better…I'm sure she'll love to be wielded by the master of the Shadow Moon sword style."

Yurei growled and all ten of him drew a kunai. "Let's go!" Then they all charged.

"You're so naïve…" Pride pointed his katana at them all. "_Kage Tsuki no Mai_!" Then there were eleven of him, as ten copies of himself appeared behind each Yurei and slashed gently. Nine of the replications disappeared in a burst of white smoke, while the real Yurei crashed to the ground with blood spurting from his back.

("He…he defeated my Shadow Replication technique like it was nothing.") Yurei slowly stood up, and his eyes widened as he saw Pride standing over him.

"It's a day of ironies…struck down by one's own sword." Pride snapped Shadow Lady and then swung it down at Yurei impossibly fast.

Yurei watched the blade come a few inches from his nose, and then it stopped.

Pride blinked in surprise, his arm shuddering in strain as it tried to force the blade to move. ("I'm being resisted by a…sword?")

Yurei kicked up and disarmed Yurei, catching the hilt of his weapon and rolling away with it.

Pride didn't really care. Something was off about that weapon. ("The damned sword actually resisted me…what kind of trickery was that?")

Yurei now was a few feet from Pride, and his nerve was shot. ("I can't win…I'm…I'm…") Then he did the unthinkable…he turned and ran as fast as he could.

Pride looked disgusted. "So that's it, hmmm? I was expecting a little more than such a lackluster performance and then no ending to top it off? No…I want my money back. And I'll extract it from your body." He moved like a shadow, running alongside Yurei casually. Without a word he grabbed Yurei's collar and pulled the boy to the ground, where he kicked him once in the shoulder. "I…am sickened to think that anyone who wanted to be a ninja would run in such a fashion…"

Yurei stared at the ground, his eyes wide in shock. ("I'm running…why would I run? Why would I ever want to run?") He tried to stand, but was forced to the ground by a kick to the ribs.

"You don't deserve to stand up…you don't deserve anything. I can't believe I was planning on taking you seriously too…" Pride spat onto the back of Yurei's neck. "Disgusting little weakling…"

"_Some have said that the kiss is a purpose in itself." Yurei's grandfather smiled warmly. "Perhaps when you understand that, you'll understand your heart…and your rod."_

("The kiss is a purpose in itself?") Yurei's fingers dug into the earth, creating troughs. ("Is that it? Was that always it?") He disappeared and appeared a few feet away from Pride, standing and facing away this time. Shadow Lady was held in his hand tightly, and his eyes were calm again.

"Do you think I'll actually give you the chance to make a total ass of yourself again?" Pride formed another shadow katana. "Think again…"

Yurei closed his eyes. "My purpose is to protect those I care about…my teammates…my family. I am Yurei Akurei…I am that purpose. I am the guardian…that is what I want from you. Heart within my heart…open your eyes!" The blade of Shadow Lady hummed for a moment, and then cracks began to appear along its frame.

Pride snarled coldly. "Don't treat me like I'm nothing, you little…"

Shadow Lady shattered, leaving a small glowing crystal in Yurei's hand. "Your name is Shadow Lady…or that is what I thought." His eyes remained closed, seeming to drink in some unheard sound. "I've had it wrong all of these years…" His eyes opened and locked onto Pride's. "Strike in darkness…see in darkness…awaken in darkness…" The rod shone brighter and brighter. "_Kage Megami_!" All around him, the earth exploded and created a huge cloud of dust that obscured the view of him.

Pride narrowed his eyes…and then snarled as the cloud cleared. ("His sword changed?")

The weapon Yurei now held was a rapier, but its body was big enough that he could hold it with two hands if he wished. His eyes looked down at the sword's new body…and then looked up at Pride calmly.

Pride snapped up his katana to point at Yurei. "So you think that with a new sword you can win this fight? Shadow Goddess…pitiful…" He smirked coldly. "Are you ready for round two?"

"You asked me about what my last words would be…" Yurei's muscles tightened. "It would be that you pray for forgiveness."

"Pray?" Pride opened his mouth to ask what the hell the boy was talking about, but Yurei was already moving.

Yurei snapped Shadow Goddess up into the air, holding it with both hands. ("I understand grandfather…I understand and plan on using that knowledge right now!") "_Kage Mangetsu_!" As the weapon fell, it shimmered in the night. And then the world burned, sending a giant wave of white energy to swallow up Pride.

_To be continued…_


	17. Embodiment of Rage

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 17: Embodiment of Rage

"_You asked me about what my last words would be…" Yurei's muscles tightened. "It would be that you pray for forgiveness."_

"_Pray?" Pride opened his mouth to ask what the hell the boy was talking about, but Yurei was already moving._

_Yurei snapped Shadow Goddess up into the air, holding it with both hands. ("I understand grandfather…I understand and plan on using that knowledge right now!") "Kage Mangetsu!" As the weapon fell, it shimmered in the night. And then the world burned, sending a giant wave of white energy to swallow up Pride._

As the smoke cleared, it revealed Yurei pressing his new blade roughly against both katana that Pride was holding. And he was pushing the Sin away slowly. His eyes resolved with a focus that bordered on impossible.

"What's this?" Pride spoke through clenched teeth, struggling to not get sent flying away. "That was the Shadow Full Moon technique…when did you become a user of the Shadow Moon style?"

"I guess I'm a quick learner…" Yurei shoved again, and nearly forced Pride to the ground.

"That's not it…no one can use that move if they've never seen it or been trained in the style before…I can't believe it…but you might be more than I thought." Pride pushed back, but Yurei didn't budge.

"Thanks a lot, but it's over!" Yurei roared and Shadow Goddess started to glow a strange black color. "_Kage Mangestu_!" Then both ninjas disappeared in an explosive cloud of black smoke.

Ayumi stared at the cloud in awe. ("Yurei was hiding that kind of power? If that is true…then…") She looked at the unconscious Aiko. ("Is he even stronger than Aiko-sama?")

Yurei stepped back out of the smoke cloud and rested _Kage Megumi_ on his shoulder. "You're beaten, you know it."

"You might be right…but then again…" The smoke cloud was blown away by a sudden explosion of chakra. "Eighth seal open!" Pride brushed off his shoulder and then looked up at the now staring Yurei. "You didn't know I could do that? Such a shame…" Grasping his reformed katana, he disappeared and appeared in the same place. "On that note…playtime just ended." Shadow Goddess' blade split in half down the middle, both halves falling away and leaving Yurei with just a hilt.

Ayumi paled until she looked like there was no blood left in her face. ("He…he…he…cut the sword apart?")

Yurei stood there, speechless. ("I…I…I failed? Just like that…he beat Shadow Goddess…") His eyes hardened. "Then I'll beat you with my hands!"

"That won't be necessary!" A voice from above both of them yelled out. "You had your chance, Yurei. Now let me have my turn."

Pride and Yurei both looked up in time to see Kai land between them. "I'm tired of watching you hog all of the fun. I intend to beat this guy right now." Cracking his knuckles, Kai glanced back at his teammate. "Please move."

Frowning, Yurei walked over towards Ayumi and crouched down next to her. "Don't die."

"I won't." Kai smirked slightly at Pride. "So we meet again, murderer."

"Yeah, we do. Not that it matters, because I somehow doubt a little child like you could possibly do much more than be a minor annoyance to me." Pride tapped his katana against the ground. "Did you come back so soon just to die?"

"I came back to kill you and avenge my father. But no more talk…" Kai slid into a fighting stance and charged.

"_Kage Tsuki no mai_." Six clones of Pride appeared all around Kai. "Die, brat." They all struck at once.

Kai smiled slightly and dropped into a handstand, his feet snapping up and catching two of the clones in the mouth. Then he pushed off the ground with that hand, and snapped a single shuriken through the eye of each remaining clone right before he landed on the ground again. "I've improved, so you can't brush me aside that easily." The six clones vanished.

Pride smiled slightly. ("Those were level eight copies…and yet he just easily defeated all of them. Perhaps he might worth the effort after all.") Snapping up his sword, he got ready to test Kai's skills with something else. "Try and keep up!"

Kai gasped as someone tripped him, but as he fell his hands snapped out and pushed him up into the air. As he straightened his aerial spin out, he was face to face with Pride. The Sin's boot caught him right in the chin, and sent him shooting towards the ground. Just before he crashed his hand snapped out again and he straightened himself out once more.

Pride was already behind him, sword dropping the blade of a guillotine.

"Kai!" Both Ayumi and Yurei yelled.

Kai smiled slightly and disappeared.

Pride stared in amazement at the space where he had been. ("So fast…so…")

"Now…you try and keep up." Kai whispered into Pride's ear calmly. Then he kicked the Sin right in the side of the head, sending him skull-first through a brick wall.

Both Ayumi and Yurei had gone silent. ("He moves like…but…")

"He's a quick learner," Kin whispered to both of them. After grinning at scared reactions because he had snuck up on them, a slight smile crossed his lips at a memory. "He came to me about a method to increase his speed."

"But…is there such a way for him to move…like you do?" Yurei was definitely intrigued now.

"It's how I managed to increase my chakra capacity by so much in the course of two weeks. They're called Soul Weights." Kin had to smile just a little more as Pride went shooting by, his eyes still registering surprise. "When someone releases heavy amounts of chakra, the weights get heavier. It's used by members of the Watanabe clan who want to improve upon their speed skills, because they'll be fighting against their whole chakra supply. He wore them for a week, unable to move at all…then he finally got one step forward…" Kin laughed quietly as Pride shot by going the other way, a new bruise on his chin. "By the end of the second week, he could make five whole steps."

"Just five…and this is the result? He moves like you do…" Yurei wished he had known about this training method earlier. He would have used it.

"Another step would have killed him…" Kin frowned. "Remember, my body isn't like that of any other human's. Things that could kill most people in the form of pressure won't affect me, hence why I run like I do. What Kai is showing is simply increased foot speed with a little chakra boosting it, that's all."

Pride tried to stop, but was dealt a dizzying blow to the ear and continued in a wild spin until he slammed into a wall.

Kai stabbed a kunai into his opponent's neck, not surprised at all when Pride dissipated into black smoke. ("A replication.") He disappeared again. Seconds later there was a loud crack and Pride came flying out of an alley, Kai's foot imprinted solidly onto his mouth.

Ayumi winced slightly. "Jeez, he's going all out…"

"He's burning himself too much…" Kin shook his head. "I told him not to push his body…"

Kai clotheslined Pride into the dirt and then stomped on his head, not surprised to have that Pride disappear in a burst of black smoke too. ("Son of a…")

Pride appeared on top of a nearby house. "You're very intent on killing me, huh? Well let me remind you of something, little insignificant gnat. Your speed is better than mine, but your blows barely tickle."

Kai's right eye began to twitch. "Let me see what you think when I've done this!" Suddenly he was standing next to Pride. Landing a kick on the Sin's side, he sent Pride down to the ground. Then he was moving around the fallen Sin in a huge circle, creating a spinning black blur. "_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Fire consumed the inside of the blur, and Pride as well.

Pride appeared standing right next to Kin, Yurei, Ayumi and Aiko. "He's very determined to try and kill me, huh?"

Kin grimaced. ("I barely sensed that movement…")

Kai appeared in front of Pride, fist cocked back. "Pride!"

"Yes?" Pride snapped the handle of his katana up and knocked Kai's fist aside. Then he kneed the boy right in the gut and appeared standing twenty feet away from all of them, towards the center of the street. "It's sad to think you all believe that you have the same genius ability I do. Don't you understand that my true power isn't even here yet?"

Kai leapt to his feet. "I'll kill him with my final technique…"

Kin slapped his teammate in the back of the head. "That would kill you too, so don't be stupid."

Aiko coughed once, and her eyes cracked open. "You boys…you seem much closer…"

Kin and Kai both smiled a strangely similar smile. "You could say that…"

Yurei stood up, and closed his eyes. A few moments later the blade of Shadow Goddess was back to normal. "Unfortunately, there is no way that we can defeat this foe. He is too powerful…"

"Really?" Kin cracked his knuckles. "Team-work…it's the name of the game. Yurei, can you fire off that attack you used before again?"

"The Shadow Full Moon?" Yurei rubbed his chin. "Well yes…I can."

"Good. You'll know where and when in a moment." Kin began to form seals with his hands. "Kai, don't mess up on the timing or I'm a dead man. _Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!" White wisps of silk appeared around his body, and he disappeared.

Pride growled as a whirlwind exploded to life, with him at the center of it. ("So you want to try and entrap me? It won't work…")

Kai stood at the edge of the whirlwind. "Let's see how you deal with this…_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Taking a huge breath, he exhaled a wave of fire into the whirlwind, changing it from simply wind to blazing flame and wind.

Pride threw up his arms to protect his face from the burning heat. ("What is this? Some kind of combo attack?")

Kin appeared right in front of him, right leg stretched out. "You're about to see whether or not you can stand against some real attack power!" His leg snapped up and caught the Sin on the chin, sending him to the top of the whirlwind, where fire surrounded him like a living blanket.

Pride snarled and tried to break free, but the heat was too much for him. ("What is this?")

Kin appeared above him, his leg out for a drop-kick. "_Combo Attack; Honoo Oro-ashi Rendan_!" Dropping his foot at full speed, he connected with Pride's neck and then both of them were trapped within the burning air drill of flame.

Yurei saw his opening. ("I see…interesting idea…") The blade of Shadow Goddess started to glow. And so did his eyes. ("And I see the target as clear as day.") Lifting the blade high into the air above him, he snarled from deep within his throat and charged towards the whirlwind, ignoring the burning flames that scorched his clothing. ("Father…this blow represents my rage…it represents the end of an era. It represents the end of him…the end of the first Sin! I will achieve your will!")

Pride crashed into the ground, his sword dissipating and pain spiking up his arm. "ARGH!"

Kin went flying off of him, glad to hear the pained sound. ("That means we can still win. Do it Yurei…strike the final blow and stop him from reaching his full power.")

Pride was in mid-bounce from the crash, his face distorted in pain and discomfort from the heat. ("Those little bastards…I'll kill them all…")

Yurei leapt through the burning winds, his eyes locked on Pride. "_Shadow Mangetsu_!" Then the world disappeared for Kin, Kai, Yurei and Pride as everything went up in white fire.

Pride growled as the flames burned into his skin roughly. ("I won't fall to you so easily...") "Ninth Seal open!"

And then Kai, Kin, and Yurei were all flying away, each getting a taste of single kick from a nearly full-power Pride.

Pride brushed himself off, the flames and damage from their attacks gone. "Such an annoyance…" Drawing a sword out of nowhere, he appeared next to Aiko and Ayumi. "Now then…let's kill the stupid handicapped ninja first and put her out of her misery."

Ayumi gasped, her fear evident at the fact she was facing someone far stronger than her.

"You'll be last then, alright?" Pride stabbed the sword down, and at the same time kicked Kai in the face to stop him from trying to heroically tackle the Sin.

Aiko gasped in pain as the sword pierced her chest…but it didn't cut in that deep at all.

Pride grimaced and withdrew his sword from Kin. "That annoying speed of yours…oh well…" Kicking the boy aside, he slashed the blade quickly across Kin's neck and then turned to block Yurei's sword strike with his own. "As for you…"

Kai tried to stab him in the back with a kunai, but was back-handed and sent about fifty feet away.

"…you die next." Pride slashed through Shadow Goddess and then into Yurei's arm deeply. Ignoring the blood spray, he formed another katana and slashed it behind him to stop Kin from attacking. "You heal quickly…" Letting go of the sword in Yurei, he formed another one and then spun around to stab it right through Kin's heart. Without skipping a beat he stabbed the next one into Kin's stomach. Forming another, he started to stab sword after sword into Kin until the boy looked so beaten up that there was no way he could possibly heal it all, even with the demon's influence.

"_Kage_…" Yurei screamed as Pride head-butted him, sending him spinning along the ground crazily.

"Almost done…" Pride formed another sword. "Next up would be Kai…"

Kai charged as fast as he could, using his speed to its fullest.

Pride casually tripped him and slashed across his side. Then he flat-palmed Kai in the ribs and sent him spinning along the dirt insanely. "It's pointless to continue fighting…"

Kin's right hand twitched.

"And for any of you to think that…" Pride was silenced by a ferocious right hook that sent him sliding into a far-off wall.

Kin's body was standing…and as its head tilted up a pair of molten red eyes glimmered in the night. "Oh really? Well, I personally would prefer not to be used by a bunch of stupid humans…so I think it's time to shut you up personally." The demon, through Kin's body, began to form a set of seals. "_Kurohakai Sabaku_!" An explosive black aura sprang up around him. "Now then…what does your blood taste like?"

_To be continued…_


	18. Aura of a Desert's Traveler

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 18: Aura of the Desert's traveler

_Kin's body was standing…and as its head tilted up a pair of molten red eyes glimmered in the night. "Oh really? Well, I personally would prefer not to be used by a bunch of stupid humans…so I think it's time to shut you up personally." The demon, through Kin's body, began to form a set of seals. "Kurohakai Sabaku!" An explosive black aura sprang up around him. "Now then…what does your blood taste like?"_

Yurei, Ayumi, and Kai all froze, unable to move.

Pride shrugged off the strange heaviness that was being inflicted by this strange aura of black chakra. "Now what exactly is this?"

"You stand in the prescense of the desert's traveler…the coyote that has walked across the black sands and bathed in their hatred." The demon sneered, revealing a pair of fangs. "Though I suppose I'll treat you respectfully, since your damage to the boy's body allowed me to break the seal of the jewel to ten percent." Brushing back a few locks of green hair, he revealed a now pointed ear-tip. "Human…do you know who you face?"

Pride knew all too well, and deep down inside it scared him. ("Death wouldn't fight this thing…so I know it is beyond my level. However, the seal is at ten percent, so I'm only fighting ten percent of its power.")

The demon stood in the center of the massive pillar of black chakra, its eyes shimmering the night. "You think you can stand against me? For such disrespect, I'll kill you."

"Is that so?" Pride formed two shadow katana.

"You're not much older than the body I inhabit…that's pitiful." The demon bared its claws, which were at the end of Kin's fingers. "Do you really want to try? Do you really want to try me?"

"I want you so that I can present you to my master…" Pride started to walk forwards. "Are you ready for that?"

The demon started to snicker, the sound growing louder and louder. "You…you…." His head tilted so that his face could be seen. It was an amused face. "You're my toy." The aura vanished as he disappeared.

Pride turned on his heel, but was stopped in mid-slash as the demon grabbed his wrist. It held a finger a few inches from his face and tsked a couple of times. And then he was flying away, an indent in his chest where the demon had punched.

As the aura disappeared, Ayumi gasped and clutched at her chest. "I…I couldn't breathe…"

Pride swung his sword, but had the blade snapped when it got close to the demon's body. Then he was pushed through wall after wall, as the demon shoved him through each one consecutively.

Kai stumbled to his feet. "Is…is that really Kin?"

Aiko coughed up a little bit of blood. "No…not by a long shot…it's the demon that we are supposed to stop the Seven Sins from getting."

Yurei winced as the demon delivered a trio of bone-crushing haymakers to Pride's head in the time it took Aiko to say this. "It needs our protection?" An explosion shook the surrounding area as the demon struck full-force into Pride's chest, sending him into a wall and bringing it down around both of them. "It's kicking his…"

"No…" Aiko shuddered and placed a hand over her newest wound. "He's…"

As the dust cloud cleared, it revealed the demon holding Pride in a sleeper hold. "Now…let's get our taste?" Opening its jaws, it bit down onto his neck. And then it withdrew its head and arms, spitting out a lightly glowing green liquid. Its whole body started to shudder, and it felt cold all over.

"The death's seal poison…" Pride turned to face the rapidly weakening demon. "It will kill anything mortal…but the technique to change my blood into it protects me from such a fate."

The demon had no choice but to withdraw into the jewel again, leaving Kin to deal with this deadly threat. ("I can't stop it, so he can deal with the consequences.") The aura of the Black Destruction Desert disappeared and Kin's body dropped to its knees, clutching at its throat. "What…what happened?"

Pride looked down at the boy who held his target. ("So you cannot protect yourself from poison? Interesting weakness…")

Kin stood up, stumbling towards his team. "What happened…why am…" Halfway there he collapsed face-first into the ground, unmoving.

"Kin!" Ayumi and Yurei ran over to their fallen comrade. Yurei stood between them and Pride, while Ayumi checked Kin's health.

A few moments later she gasped and started to pound his chest. "His heart is slowing…we have to…" She went silent as a blade pressed against her neck.

"You'll do nothing." Pride spoke calmly, while Yurei started to turn around as he realized the Sin had moved. "Actually, you're the most troublesome, aren't you?"

Aiko heard this… "No…Pride!"

Ayumi looked right into those yellow eyes, and felt primal fear from deep within her body. ("He's going to kill me. He's going to…")

Pride stabbed his other katana into the ground and used it to perform a spin kick that caught Yurei in the head and sent him flying away. "Therefore, you must die." The blade against her throat lifted up into the air. "I'll kill you in a way that makes sure you won't live through it. _Kage Mangetsu_…" The blade of his sword started to glow white.

Ayumi couldn't even flinch away. ("This…is where I die? But…I…I…I want to live…")

Then the weapon fell….and was stopped as it dug into Kai's hand.

Pride narrowed his eyes at the now sunglass-wearing boy. "You again? You already tried…and it didn't work."

Kai slapped the sword away, ignoring the blood dripping down his wrist. "I won't let you do whatever you want…I'll stop you."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Pride dissipated the bloodied sword and hefted the single remaining one. "Do you really want to fight to your own death?"

"I owe Watanabe a debt for sharing the training methods of his family with me…I won't let you kill his only chance to live." Kai slowly drew a kunai. "I will stop you right here."

"You are insane…aren't you?" Pride disappeared.

"No…" Kai did the same. Then the air around the town was echoing the noises of blades clashing over and over again. "But I am determined to stop you!" Suddenly they were in the air above their starting positions, and Kai was forming a new set of seals. "_Katon; Honoo Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Exhaling a burst of fire, he disappeared. The flame formed into a vaguely humanoid shape and leapt at Pride, only to be slashed apart.

"You can't expect to defeat me with such a low level of skill, do you?" The Sin tilted his head slightly, finding it strange he couldn't locate the boy. Right up until the point that he felt a foot crash into the side of his head. ("That damned speed? It's still that strong.") Looking over where he had been hit, he saw only a few embers in the air. "Hm?" Then he was hit roughly in the back. Looking there, he saw only embers too. ("He's using the fire replications to attack me? Interesting, since I can't sense their approach like I can other replications.") He snapped up his sword. "_Kage Tsuki no uta_!" The air around him started to shimmer, and suddenly he was surrounded by a storm of embers. ("As I thought, he believed he could use an army of the replications to attack me. How…") He retracted that thought as Kai appeared right in front of him. ("I'm slashing too fast…he couldn't have…")

"_Katon; Honoo Takira no Jutsu_!" Kai slapped his hands to the ground, and both of them disappeared in a raging blast of flames.

Pride snarled and appeared on top of a nearby building. ("This is so very annoying…")

"Too slow!" Kai appeared next to Pride and started to kick, but disappeared at the last moment. That Pride disappeared in a puff of black smoke, while in a nearby alley the real Pride just got a strong kick to the side of the head.

("He's predicting what I am doing?") Pride slashed, but his blow revealed the kicker to be only a flame replication.

Kai was standing at the end of the alley. "_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" The explosion shook the two buildings that made the alley.

Pride had leapt upwards to avoid it, and was tens of feet in the air now. ("What is this? How is he…") A screech caught his attention, right before a bird-shaped blast of fire slammed into his back and sent him towards the ground. ("Impossible…how could he know…even if he had that ability…") Right before he hit the ground a blow was landed to his ribs that nearly crushed them. ("Impossible!")

As Kai moved, he felt different with every step. ("It's…incredible. So much more different than the other times…what is this power surging through my mind and body?")

Pride rolled away, but found Kai's foot waiting to punt him through the air like a ball. ("He's predicting my moves? No…it's more than that…he sees…") Trying to straighten himself out in the air, the Sin realized the blow had been too damaging. ("I can't understand…he…he…")

Kai appeared face to face with him, both still in the air. "You think we're done?" Locking the other boy's neck in a hold, he suplexed his opponent headfirst through the ground below them. Then both of them disappeared in a burst of smoke and flame, revealing that both were replications. Seconds later they appeared in the air again, this time the real ones. And Kai was still one step ahead of Pride at all times.

Yurei stared at the two combatants in awe. ("Kai…what are you? Your insight…it's impossible…")

Pride had managed to break away, but was now left stumbling near another wall. ("I…I'm too dizzy…") His sword started to glow white. "_Kage Mangetsu_…."

Kai appeared ten feet in front of him. Bending at the knees he charged, sunglasses glittering in the night.

Pride slammed his weapon into the ground, but the wave of white fire didn't touch Kai at all. The boy actually spun in mid-run around it and kept going, driving his knee, fist, and head into the forehead, stomach and heart of Pride. With one loud crack and then an explosion, the wall behind Pride collapsed down around the Sin as he was sent through it instantly.

Kai brushed back a few locks of his hair. "Well Sin?"

The dust cleared to reveal Pride kneeling and clutching at his chest. ("Impossible…impossible!")

Cracking his knuckles, Kai smirked. "Come."

Pride didn't move, his hand clenching the broken hilt of his shadow katana tightly. ("How is he doing this?")

Kai's smirk vanished into a cold look. "If you've lost your nerve, then let me save you the trouble of moving!" He charged three feet forward and then disappeared.

Pride formed another katana. "You insolent…" The weapon shattered. ("How?")

Kai elbowed his target right in the head and sent him flying away. "I'm stronger…and I can see your demise…" Removing his sunglasses, he revealed a pair of shimmering silver irises. "I can see your future, and it is bleak." Then he was moving again, striking like a mad-man.

Pride couldn't form thoughts now, each blow blindingly painful. He knew every spot to hit that would leave the Sin stunned. It wasn't a matter of strengths now…it was a matter of skill. And at the moment Pride's skill might as well have been considered nothing.

Yurei watched this incredulously. ("It's incredible…I guess we all have some secrets. Which leads me to wonder, what does Kin have now?")

Pride, his body bloodied and battered, tried to stand up weakly. Kai responded by striking him in a nerve that left his left leg dead. "You've lost." No matter how hard the Sin tried, the damage had been done. He could no longer fight. ("This isn't humanly possible…")

Kai's lips lifted very slightly. "It's over…this is the end for you."

"Kin! Hang in there…please!"

Kai froze…and slowly turned. "Ayumi…what's…"

Ayumi continued to pound Kin's chest, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Live!"

Yurei stared… "It…can't be…"

Pride smiled weakly and stood up, whispering gently into Kai's ear. "You see?"

"Shut up!" The boy turned full speed, his eyes back to normal brown. Whatever strike he had planned was stopped by a haymaker across the face.

Pride looked at three standing members of Team Eight. "I can't believe I have to do this. I can't believe that I have to really do it." His hands started to move.

"No." Yurei lifted Shadow Goddess, the blade bright white. "I'll stop you!"

Pride smiled slightly as he watched the boy's approach. "Stop me? Oh no…it will never happen. Tenth Seal…" Yurei's blade fell and slashed deep into his shoulder. Kai appeared in front of the Sin and stabbed two kunai deeply into his lungs. "Open." An explosion of chakra sent both of them and their weapons flying away.

Ayumi stared at Pride, her entire body shaking. ("This is his full power.") She had completely forgotten about the fact that Kin's heart had stopped beating.

Pride brushed off his shoulder. "You children have been troublesome…" His eyes met Yurei's first, and the boy felt his entire body freeze up in fear. He felt like a rabbit in the sights of a wolf. "…and now the trouble ends here. You can unleash all of the special gifts you want at any time…" At no point did the idea of a sneak attack cross any of their minds. They somehow knew he could see all of them, regardless of their position. "In the end, I simply open the final seal and I surpass you. I am one of the Seven Sins, stupid fools. Did you think a group of hatchlings could hope to stop us?" The last sentence was so forceful that all three of them actually flinched in fear.

Aiko struggled to stand, his power not affecting her. ("His mere prescense is preventing them from fighting…it's as I feared. I only have one method left to stop him…")

Pride appeared right behind her, a sword pressed against her throat roughly. "Don't move, or you will die Aiko-chan." She knew it was a replication, but she was too injured to dispel it without risking death.

The real Pride walked towards Ayumi. "You're first, because I don't feel like…"

"No…not her…" Kai tried to move. Then he went silent as Pride's hand was suddenly around his throat, squeezing.

"You wish to die? Stupid…I won't let you die until I've tortured you…" The Sin sneered. "Now scream nice and loud for me…" He squeezed and Kai began to make pained gasping noises as he tried to gather air.

_To be continued…_


	19. Pride's Ultimate Potential

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 19: Pride's ultimate potential

_He heard a noise…a baby's crying…_

_("Why a baby?") His eyes tried to force themselves open, but they wouldn't. ("What is this? Where am I? Last thing I remembered, there was a burning pain in my chest. And then I passed out. Where am I?") Kin tried to stand, but nothing happened._

"_Look at his hair…it's practically golden. Such an amazing boy…" The voice was warm and familiar to Kin's ears. It was someone he wanted to see right now._

_("Mother…help me…I promised nothing would happen, but I don't think I will be able to keep up that promise…Pride is so strong.") Kin suddenly could open his eyes, and he found himself knee deep in a mass of black sand. "What is this?" A bright light flashed to life behind him. Spinning around as well as he could, considering the restricting sand, Kin managed to see that some kind of light was behind him. "Who's there?"_

"_So it is true…I wondered where you had gone…"_

_("What's going on?") Kin had gone silent. ("What in the hell is going on?")_

"_Still, I will pull you out for now…I will let you return to the wheel again." Something curled around his waist and lifted him high into the air, depositing him onto solid ground. A flat service of solid white marble. "There…welcome back to the path."_

_Now that he could move, Kin turned around. And his heart stopped._

_The being before him was beyond majestic…it was awe-inspiring. It was a huge Chinese dragon, covered in glimmering white scales. "Who…what are you?"_

_The dragon rumbled, the sound seeming to resemble laughter. "You don't know me? I'm sorry to hear that…I am the guardian of the White Gate." Behind it, a huge white metal gate came into view._

"_This is the wheel of body and soul…" Kin felt a surreal peace as he realized he stood in the section of his heart that represented the power he was best at. Speed… "Why am I here?"_

"_Because you are sinking into the depths of a place that I cannot protect you from, Kin." The dragon's nose pointed out behind them, at an endless black expanse that stretched as far as the eye could see. "There is some kind of horrid creature out there, and it has taken you from me twice now and dragged you out into the sands. It was luck I managed to pull you out in time, before you became sucked into the morass of darkness."_

"_That's the Black Destruction Desert…so the demon was the one who did it. I can't stop it from using my body like a puppet, can I?" Kin hated this. All of his work to reach the Radiant Paradise was fading because of some lousy demon that needed a fix of power. "Isn't there anything I can do?"_

"_You are dying…you understand that? The poison in your system is deadly…too deadly…" The dragon sighed, the sound shaking the platform. "I am unsure whether or not I can do anything for you."_

_Kin sighed and brushed some of the remaining black sand off of his clothes. "This is troublesome…but I think I have the answer. I'll burn it out."_

"_Burn the poison?"_

"_Yeah…" Kin grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'll sweat it right out of my system…by using the technique I'm best at."_

_("He intends to use the White Wind Angel to run so fast that his body will burn away the poison with the chakra output? Is he stupid…that won't work…") The dragon sweat-dropped and continued to float in the air above. ("However…") "Good luck. I trust in your power. I trust in your knowledge of your own body, for I am but the guardian of a clan. I do not know how the body of your clan truly works…no one can."_

_Kin gave the dragon a thumbs-up. "I'll be fine." He turned to face the huge white gate. ("Father…give me the strength to show them…to show them just a single step towards paradise.") "Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu!"_

_------------------_

_Pride appeared right behind her, a sword pressed against her throat roughly. "Don't move, or you will die Aiko-chan." She knew it was a replication, but she was too injured to dispel it without risking death._

_The real Pride walked towards Ayumi. "You're first, because I don't feel like…"_

"_No…not her…" Kai tried to move. Then he went silent as Pride's hand was suddenly around his throat, squeezing._

"_You wish to die? Stupid…I won't let you die until I've tortured you…" The Sin sneered. "Now scream nice and loud for me…" He squeezed and Kai began to make pained gasping noises as he tried to gather air._

Kai tried to reach into the power he had used before, but it was long gone. ("Where did it go? Where is my…")

Pride coldly squeezed harder. "One by one…one by…"

"_Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!" Everyone in the area froze at those words. "Pride…put him down."

"Or you'll what?" The Sin turned slowly to face Kin, whose body was surrounded by wisps of white silk. "Speed won't work against my full power…weren't you listening before?"

Kin's lips lifted slightly. "Sorry…I was unconscious. Care to repeat it for me?"

"No matter what you…" Pride frowned as Kai disappeared from his hand. ("Bastard…I still can't move faster than him.")

Kai coughed rapidly to try and clear his air-ways. Kin, who was standing next to him in the same spot he had been before, cracked his knuckles. "Let's go!" Then he disappeared.

Aiko could feel the scene with her ears. ("He believes he can win…he won't accept the possibility of being overwhelmed…he's…") She smiled and started to stand, ignoring the pain of her wounds. "What kind of teacher would I be if I lay down and died while my student fought?"

Yurei stood up, the blade of Shadow Goddess reformed. "Same here…we're in this together."

Kai stumbled to his feet. "It will take everything we have to beat this guy. And everything we have will include teamwork this time…true teamwork…" He gathered his chakra. ("A combo is teamwork in effort, but this will be teamwork in heart…we'll win…I know we will.")

Kin appeared to Pride's side, his kick launching full speed towards the Sin's right cheek.

Pride felt the building aura of hope from his opponents…and then he was moving. Kin was suddenly fifty feet in the air, electricity arching along his skin. Aiko was thrown right into Yurei, and both of them were then swallowed in a bolt of lightning. Kai dodged the first shot of lightning, but the next ten struck each of his limbs twice, and then his chest twice. Letting out one weak cry, he collapsed face-first to the ground.

Ayumi stood up and drew a kunai. ("I can't let them die without at least trying…")

Pride started to count. ("Ten seconds…")

Kin was violently kicked straight into the ground from his fifty foot height, leaving behind a giant crater with him at the bottom center of it. Yurei was next, as a sword stabbed right into his left and right thighs. Grunting, he collapsed.

Aiko rolled and came up just in time to sense Pride in front of her. "You…" Then she was flying away as lightning shot from his hands right into her. Her motion was stopped as lightning rained down onto her body, forcing her to the earth as well.

Kai's eyes started to glow silver again. ("I have to…") He grew cold at what he saw. ("No matter what I do…he'll hit….") Then six swords were stabbed into six non-vital points on his body. Lightning arched along the shadow blades and into his internal organs, leaving him unconscious and smoking at the mouth.

("Twenty…") Pride still had yet to seem like he had moved at all. ("I don't even need to fight…my replications will take them all…")

Kin was about to stand, but was forced down as lightning crashed down into him over and over again.

Aiko stumbled up, her vest smoking. "_Niji Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Six more of her appeared and all of them disappeared. Milliseconds later seven bursts of colored smoke filled the sky, and then the real Aiko was slammed backfirst into a wall.

Yurei groaned and tried to stand up… ("I…Kin was right…we can…") Then he was flying again, more lightning pounding through him. By the time he reached the ground he was unconscious.

Aiko realized that both Yurei and Kai were out of the fight. ("I…I'll do it!") Her hands started to move. Then a fist rocketed into her stomach and blew the wind and focus out of her. "You can't beat me Aiko-chan…I'm just as strong as Kakashi when he was a Jounin…you cannot win. How can you beat me?" Then sharp pain shot up her neck as his other fist landed a hook into her side. "I promised Kane I wouldn't kill you…but you've pissed me off. How could you raise such little nuisances?" A sword stabbed into her gut. "For your insolence, I give you the gift of a swift death." Then she stopped moving, her body finally pulling her to unconscious.

("Thirty.") Pride popped his neck. "You're all that is left, girl. I'll leave you alive to go let Kakashi know that in just a few short years he'll be next. Every year I have grown more powerful…by the time I'm of a man's age I'll be stronger than Death." His lips lifted slightly. "And honestly…I'll hate that. I cannot stop myself from training, and yet every Jounin I encounter is easily beaten. Those I cannot defeat will soon be my lesser, and my power will continue to grow. I'm only fourteen and I am nearly the best there is." His yellow eyes locked onto Ayumi's. "They will all suffer before they die…I would advise you to leave before that happens."

Ayumi started to tremble. ("Kakashi-sama…please come and save the day, just like I always know you can. Please…") Her hands started to shake, but she still held her kunai.

"Your resolve is strangely impressive…most surrender and accept fate when they see my full power…but you don't." Pride's words were as cold as his face, which was frigid. "Disappear, before I decide that you don't deserve to live."

Ayumi shook her head slowly. "N...no. I have to…do my job. I am a medical ninja…"

Pride formed a shadow katana. "Your window of opportunity to run just closed." A cut appeared on her left cheek. "For your stupid thoughts, I'll cut you apart very slowly. Entertain me…girl." Another cut appeared on her arm. Then the cuts multiplied rapidly. By the time a minute had passed she had over two hundred of them, and each one was barely bleeding. She felt weak, but she didn't fall. "Why do you continue? Have you not realized that this fight is done? I've beaten your team."

Kai's still-smoking body twitched and started to rise, but then collapsed face-first into the ground. "They challenged the strongest group in the world, and have paid the price."

Yurei's hand clutched Shadow Goddess tighter, but then the grip relaxed. "They each had such potential, but no real understanding of the world."

Aiko slowly stood up, her knees trembling in pain.

Pride glanced over at the Jounin. "You should be dead…which is surprising…" He smiled slightly as he fully looked at her. "Oh…how funny…"

Aiko didn't move or respond. She simply stood there.

"She's unconscious…but so willing to try and kill me that even in that state she will stand up." Pride's sword pointed at her. "It pisses me off to think you were thought to be anything more than a child. Even as you grew older, Kakashi sheltered you for the longest time…he took you in and raised you to be a ninja. He felt sorry for the fact that your eyes were useless, and taught you a forbidden technique called Light Eyes. It let you experience the world through sight, if at least in a form meant for combat. Then you met Kane…" His hand started to shake slowly. "Because of you I had to kill my mentor…because you had filled his once cold heart with thoughts of love and of friendship. If he had been smart he wouldn't have injured himself sealing the demon, and then perhaps he might have been able to beat me. Instead though I was left with nothing…nothing at all."

Aiko's body started to fall slowly.

"Because of you he died…because of you I had to kill him!" Pride appeared in front of her falling body, sword positioned so she would fall right onto it. "Burn, scream…cry, weep…I will make it all happen before you are given death…"

Ayumi started to move. "Don't hurt Aiko-sama! Don't!"

Pride locked onto the falling body and the white eyes that he hated so much. "Let my punishment begin, weak woman." Suddenly Aiko disappeared. "What's this? He stands up after such a punishing amount of lightning? Perhaps poison would have worked better…" The Sin turned to look at Kin, who had Aiko under one arm. His body was still surrounded by strands of white silk. "Lie down and die, so that I can appease my master."

Kin set Aiko down gently, his eyes closed. Stepping forward a few feet, his eyes opened. The irises were still blue and green. "I…I heard it all…" Tears started to appear along the edges of his eyes. "Is that what you truly think? That love is nothing but a detriment to a fighter's heart?"

"You say it is otherwise?" Pride slid the blade of his sword along the earth, leaving a small trail of sparks. "Heart is weakness…it is known among the best of the best."

"You believe that you have the right to enforce such a belief on other people?" Kin roared and appeared in front of Pride, but was easily sent away with a kick to the jaw. Rolling back a few feet, he came up with the white wisps of silk gone. The White Angel had dispelled. "How can you do this? How can you involve these villagers in this fight? How can torture and hurt and kill…how?"

"Easily…because the weak deserve to fuel the strong's wishes, nothing else." Pride looked up at the full moon. "It's life. Welcome to what the world really is. In this place, there is no justice other than an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." He tilted his head down, eyes glimmering in the night. "The Shadow Moon style is something that has always been near my heart because it reminds me to never let my emotions get in the way of what must be done."

"You don't even care that you kill Aiko-sensei's fiancé, do you?" Kin charged again, and this time didn't even see the blow that bounced him backwards twenty feet.

"What do you know about caring?" Pride's foot started to dig into the ground. "Every day of my life while I lived in the hidden village of sand, my father lived with the fact that assassins were after him. He took my family to every part of the world, to so many countries…"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kin stumbled to his feet, blood running down his right cheek from a cut.

"I had four siblings…" Pride growled low in his throat. "They all died, each one in a different country! They wouldn't leave my family alone!" His fist clenched the sword hilt so tightly that it actually started to crack. "The assassins chased us down to Konoha…where they killed my father when I was only eight." His eyes reflected a moment of dark anger. "I killed each one of them without mercy…and then lived a sad and lonely life for two years…no family…no friends…no nothing! No home, no food, not even a scrap of kindness!"

"In Konoha?" Kin wouldn't believe that. Konoha was different than the other countries…it would have…

"Then I met Kane…he took me in…taught me the Shadow Moon…" Pride's hand clenched tighter, and the hilt of the sword started to crack. "He was my new father…I loved him! And then one day we drifted apart…when he thought me for dead. I was left for dead on a mission…and Death revived me. He showed me things that no one ever could…and he taught me that love is nothing but bullshit taught to children so that they won't kill those who anger them."

The weapon shattered from the force of his clenched fist. "I learned about Kane's engagement to her…and my heart burned. Despite what I knew, I couldn't stop feeling pain in my heart!" Then his eyes narrowed. "Why couldn't I stop the pain in my heart? Why, even now, can I not stop the pain from hurting me? Can you tell me that, fool? Can you explain why I feel emotional pain even now?" His voice grew quiet. "I had so much power, but I never knew what to do with it because of foolish attachments. Now though…I will crush my emotions by killing those who brought them on. Kakashi, for introducing Aiko to the life of the ninja…Aiko, for daring to love Kane…and you, for daring to try and instill hope into these idiots. They all might have lived…"

Kin couldn't stop the tears from flowing now… "The pain in your heart…you couldn't understand what it was…could you?" He trembled as memories flooded to him. "You tried so hard to get rid of it that it became your only driving force, right? You could never figure out what the problem was, but it had to be removed through any means possible?"

Pride growled darkly. "You think you understand? Do you think you know at all what my life has been? You, in your comfy home with your mother and father…always knowing that if something happened ANBU or someone would protect you…think you understand my life?" He started to laugh. "Tragedy is not something you can proxy. Don't try to understand me at all, because you and I are…"

"My father was killed by my uncle because of the Black Destruction Desert…" Kin snarled, something deep within his chest burning to life. "I loved them both so much…yet one killed the other…I spent every day after that trying to understand why people would kill each other for power. It obsessed me to the point of driving me insane…and I nearly went to the Desert for answers and a way to kill him. But then I figured it out…I figured out the truth of it all…"

He punched the ground, and the earth around him shook. "Power isn't important! Purpose is the answer! And with that I figured out what to do…I would, no matter what it cost me, find the Radiant Paradise and blow the dark sands of the Desert away. I'm no child…so don't talk to me like you're special at all! Everyone has scars in their life…if they didn't then they'd be a shallow bastard. I…I…I…" That burning feeling came alive within him. Chakra started to flow around him rapidly, creating a glowing aura of white. "I understand your pain. The pain was always your conscience, telling you what you were doing was wrong. But you didn't listen at all, did you? You just kept diving deeper and deeper into darkness, and the pain grew stronger and stronger…and you started a cycle that brought you to this point."

Ayumi stared at Kin through new eyes…he had always seemed like nothing more than the boy who had the demon within his body, but now she saw that he was a person just as much as the rest of them.

Pride spat onto the dirt. "You think that? Then you are truly a heart-filled weakling." He formed two shadow katana. "I will kill you, and carve the jewel out of your chest."

Kin was looking at the ground, not even listening. ("Father…I will find the answer without turning into him…I will!") His hands snapped up and started to form the seals for the White Wind Angel technique. "I will not sacrifice my heart and humanity for power…I won't!" The chakra aura flushed brighter. Kin opened his mouth and yelled as loud as he could.

Pride started to move…and then froze. ("What…")

Kin's hair shimmered and turned bright gold. The white aura started to turn golden… "I will protect them my own way…I won't sacrifice my heart!" His irises shimmered to gold. "All of them fought for what they believed, and that was the purpose of heart!" The night around them disappeared, replaced by the glow of golden chakra coming from Kin. "And if there is one thing that won't happen, it will be you winning!"

Pride snarled in anger. "You little shit! Who do you think you are talking to?"

"_Kagayaki Rakuen_!" The aura exploded, and then formed into a sheath of energy around Kin's body. "I'm talking to the first target of the Radiant Paradise…in over ten generations…" Kin's golden hair framed his face, and his eyes burned with a strange power… "I'm talking to Pride, the Sin."

_To be continued…_


	20. A taste of Paradise

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 20: A taste of paradise

_Kin's hair shimmered and turned bright gold. The white aura started to turn golden… "I will protect them my own way…I won't sacrifice my heart!" His irises shimmered to gold. "All of them fought for what they believed, and that was the purpose of heart!" The night around them disappeared, replaced by the glow of golden chakra coming from Kin. "And if there is one thing that won't happen, it will be you winning!"_

_Pride snarled in anger. "You little shit! Who do you think you are talking to?"_

"_Kagayaki Rakuen!" The aura exploded, and then formed into a sheath of energy around Kin's body. "I'm talking to the first target of the Radiant Paradise…in over ten generations…" Kin's golden hair framed his face, and his eyes burned with a strange power… "I'm talking to Pride, the Sin."_

Pride's right eye began to twitch. "I'll tear your lungs out, bastard!"

Kin's glare didn't relent. "No. No you won't. You won't touch another innocent life ever again…I won't allow it." The chakra sheath died down. "I'll give you to the count of three…"

Pride appeared behind him, sword cocked back to strike.

Kin's body blurred for a moment and Pride reversed directions, scraping along the ground forcefully for twenty feet before he stopped moving.

Ayumi stared at ground where Kin had been standing. ("Not even dust being unsettled…there's no way to tell he moved at all…")

"Give up." Kin turned to look at Pride's slowly rising form. "One…"

"_Kamon; Kaminari Shot no Jutsu_!" Pride's mouth shot open and he sprayed out lightning that hurtled towards Kin...

"Two." Kin said from right behind Pride.

The Sin froze. He didn't even blink or move his eyes from the spot Kin had been standing. ("How did he do that?") There was no way the boy was that fast. ("It's some kind of illusion.")

"Three." Kin's fist cocked back, and Pride realized that fist was solid. He turned and tried to swing his sword, but was sent flying away by another attack from Kin. It seemed like only one punch, but the damage it had inflicted made it feel like it was ten punches.

Kin's head bend back a little, cracking his neck. "Time's up, and so are you." Suddenly he was a golden blur of chakra, which swallowed up Pride. The earth shook a few times and then Pride emerged from the ball clutching his face and stomach. Kin emerged from the chakra ball and it disappeared. "That was two hundred blows in two seconds. I am holding back, just so you know."

Ayumi felt her jaw nearly drop. ("His speed is unreal…how did he do that?")

Pride removed his hand from his face to reveal a huge purple bruise across his left eye. Snarling, he formed two swords and charged full speed towards Kin. "Insolent…"

Kin's hands were suddenly moving full speed, forming too many seals for either Ayumi or Pride to count.

The Sin slid to a stop and got into a defensive position. ("You won't catch me off guard with anything.")

Kin formed the last seal. "_Kagayaki Rakuen; Shirakaze Tenshi no Ryu Fuuin Kahou_!" His muscles bulged momentarily. And then he was standing on top of a nearby two-story house. "I just won."

"What are…" Pride gasped in pain as his two sword cracked and shattered. A sonic boom slammed into him and he felt every part of his being, like someone had hit him with a sledgehammer on every vital section of his body.

"By reaching into the White Wind Angel while the Radiant Paradise is open, I can unleash the power of the guardian of that gate. The special ability of the White Wind Guardian is the power of pressure and sound. By running at supersonic speeds I can create a sonic boom that can tear apart matter at the molecular level." Kin brushed a few strands of his golden hair back.

Pride stumbled, trying to repair the damage with his chakra. But he was no medical ninja, so all he could do was numb the pain. ("His chakra is strong, but for him to do that would imply he is stronger than me. And that is impossible.")

Kin appeared behind him, and his two index fingers slammed into a pair of points on the Sin's spine.

Pride froze, and then dropped to his knees. "My legs…I…"

"Every point of the chakra circulatory system is interconnected by certain pathways that cannot be seen or detected. By striking the two points I just did, I caused the chakra flow to your legs to be redirected…you're crippled for the next few hours." Kin walked around to in front of Pride, not at all worried about the possibility of being attacked. "I've got you beaten, Taijutsu user….when you fight an opponent of equal strength who knows your weakness, you may as well have been a quarter my strength."

("This little whelp thinks he is stronger than me?") Pride formed a shadow katana and slashed, only to have the blade grabbed and snapped apart. "I will not let you make a fool out of me!"

"It's a little late for that, wouldn't you say?" Kin's left fist slammed full speed into Pride's Adam's apple, leaving him gasping for air with his head up. Without losing a moment, the boy slammed Pride into the air with a vicious uppercut to the jaw. "Now to finish this…" The aura of golden chakra exploded to life. "Here it comes…the final blow I'll be dealing you. _Rakuen boufuu_!" Suddenly he was a comet, launching up past the high-rising Pride and appearing about a hundred feet in the air. He held up at that point, watching the approach of his target with the eye of an expert. "And now the strike. _Rakuen Myoujou_!" The aura brightened intensely, and he went from a comet to a meteor. Dropping downwards onto Pride, he hammer-fisted the Sin and then followed through with a full-body tackle which forced Pride onto the head of the meteor. When the meteor finally crashed into the earth, the crater was so large that most of the nearby buildings were nearly shaken to the ground from the ensuing earthquake.

At the center of the crater, a single form stirred. It finally started to move slowly, until it reached the edge of the crater and stumbled into the moonlight.

Ayumi gasped and took a few steps back. "That can't be…"

Pride knew his left arm was completely broken, shattered in three different areas. His left eye was swollen shut and the left side of his head was missing both hair and skin tissue. ("I landed on the left side of my skull…I'm too damaged to fight…")

Kin placed a hand on Ayumi's shoulder, nearly scaring her out of her skin. "My work is done."

She stared at him, the peace coming from his face flowing into her body. "But…but he's not beaten yet. Don't you need to make sure…"

"Nope." Kin smiled slightly. "It's not my job to do so. Someone else will handle it."

"What kind of an irresponsible answer is that?" She nearly slapped him, until she heard the sound of footsteps.

Aiko stepped past both of them and started to move towards Pride, her hands working slowly to form the necessary seals for her technique. "This is the end, Pride."

"Not yet…" He tried to form a weapon, but his chakra wouldn't flow at all. ("My power is gone? How?")

Aiko's right hand started to glow with a crystalline red light. "This blow will end it…the last of my power…" She charged right at him…and right before she reached him she disappeared.

Pride turned, knowing exactly where she would be….and then gasped as she appeared right where she had disappeared. Before he could defend himself, she punched a hole right through his chest where his heart was.

Ayumi sucked in her breath and looked away, hiding behind Kin. He flinched, but didn't look away.

Pride stared at the hand in his chest for a few moments…and then his eyes misted over.

"You were to be the son that Kane and I might never have had…but yet you killed him…so I offer you no hatred, but no condolences. Just die…Auel." Aiko removed her now bloodied hand from the hole in his chest. He dropped to the ground, dead.

Kin turned and walked over to Kai's fallen form. Touching his hands to his teammate's back, he concentrated. "Heal self!"

Kai's eyes snapped open, and he leapt to his feet ready to fight. "Where is he?"

"He's dead…" Kin walked past and went over to Yurei next. Their wounds had been grievous, but the abilities granted to him by the Radiant Paradise allowed for amazing recovery of anything physical. He could heal damaged cells with no problem, because his chakra in this form was made for physical effects only.

Aiko slowly stood up, and looked up at the night sky. "I shed my tears long ago, Kane. Rest in peace, loving soul of my fiancé. I know you were with me all this time…and now I can move on." Turning away, she didn't give the corpse behind her another thought. It was done, and she was ready to move on.

Yurei looked at Kin for a moment, and then broke down into helpless laughter. Kin joined in a moment later, as they both remembered a joke they had shared about a bet to determine who would beat Pride if they ever fought him. "I guess you win, huh?"

"Yeah, you owe me a ramen when we get back to Konoha." Kin's laughter died down as he looked over at Kai, who was slowly approaching him. "Kai…I…"

"Is he dead? Is he truly dead?" Kai's eyes reflected a strange mix of anger and hope.

Kin nodded. "It's…" He was silenced when Kai held his hand up.

"It's fine…" Kai glanced at Yurei. "Nice sword, too bad it did little more than get shattered a lot."

"Who are you to talk, speedy? For all that running, you didn't even touch him?" Yurei stabbed Shadow Goddess into the ground and rubbed its hilt. "This lady is great and you both know it."

"What's great is your stupidity for calling a piece of steel a lady." Kai scoffed and looked away.

"Who are you to insult my Heart Rod?" Yurei grabbed Kai's collar.

Kin sighed. "Do we need to argue about something so silly?"

"YES!" Both of them yelled, before returning to arguing about who had done better.

Aiko and Ayumi both stood a few feet away, each of them face-falling repeatedly as they realized the boys barely seemed affected by the events involving Pride. But then Aiko stood up and smiled, walking over to them and placing a hand on both Kin and Kai's heads. "Firstly, I'm glad the two of you have started to learn a little bit more about each other." She turned to look at Yurei. "You've done well in releasing your Rod's real form." She looked at Kai. "It's good to see you in such great fighting form. For a little while you actually had him on the ropes…and…"

All three of them turned to look at Kin. Then they blinked, as if for the first time noticing his golden hair and eyes. Ayumi had already gawked herself to death on the change, so she just walked over and laughed at the looks on everyone else's face.

Kin blushed, which contrasted against the golden glow of his hair. "Umm….what?"

Aiko was the first of the three to recover. "Kin…when you fought Pride, who was stronger?"

"I'd say energy wise we were equal, but because of my knowledge of the human body he didn't stand a chance against me at close range." Kin turned tomato red as he said this, as if he was embarrassed that this was the case.

It sank into Kai's mind what this meant. ("Are you telling me that this mediocre ninja…has access to enough power to put him at Elite Jounin class?") His fists clenched tightly as he realized what else this meant. ("How am I supposed to match that?")

Yurei rubbed the back of his head as he remembered his previous words. ("And I thought Shadow Goddess was a big secret…Kin wins in the big secret category.")

Aiko just patted the boy's shoulder. "Congratulations on achieving it, Kin."

"Thank you very much." Kin smiled and looked at Ayumi. "On that note, are you okay Ayumi?"

Nodding, Ayumi blinked as she realized that Kin's eyes were still slotted and his ears were still slightly pointed. After a few moments she grabbed Aiko's shoulder and pulled her over, whispering something into her ear. They both looked at Kin, and then collapsed laughing.

Kin looked extremely confused… "Umm….what?"

"It's just that the way you look now…reminds me of a…" Ayumi broke into laughter again. "…d…d…"

Kai figured it out instantly, and started to snicker. "You look like a feral golden retriever."

Yurei blinked and stared at Kin for a few moments, before he had to turn away to hide his own laughter at that.

Kin flushed red again and stomped off. "Maybe I should just lead the group, considering I'm apparently the most mature!"

Yurei glanced over his shoulder at Kin's retreating back. "What do you think his problem was?"

Kai couldn't stop himself from saying it. "Fleas maybe?" They all looked at each other, and then collapsed into helpless laughter again.

--------------------

The following morning they were all walking back towards Konoha. Up front was Aiko and Yurei, who were carrying a body bag with Pride's corpse inside. It was a grisly thing to do, but they had to make sure it arrived safely to Konoha for burial. One of Kane's remaining wills was that it happened, and none of them would have complained while Aiko was there.

Farther back was Ayumi, who was day-dreaming about her return to her beloved Kakashi-sama. Next to her was Kai, who was wearing his sunglasses and occasionally scanning the trees. At the back was Kin, who was still slightly pissed at the whole dog comment last night. He was back to his normal form, but it still grated on his nerves to be compared to a pet.

Aiko reached the top of the hill they were walking up, and looked out at the not-so-distant Konoha. "We'll soon be home…and I'll get to use my shower again! Oh I missed being able to wash myself clean."

"Me too, especially since these three stink so badly." Ayumi ignored the glares she received and kept going. "Plus the bag, despite the material, is starting to stink."

"Yes, I…" Aiko froze and started to tremble.

"Aiko-sama? What's…" Ayumi blinked as she just noticed that someone was standing in the middle of the road about thirty feet from them. "Who's that?"

The man wore a dark cloak that covered his whole body, while his uncovered head was framed by a thick mane of black hair. His eyes were covered over by a strange metal visor with etchings across its face. "Greetings…"

"Hello there…" Ayumi started to walk towards the man…but stopped when Aiko dropped her side of the bag and began to backpedal rapidly. "Aiko-sama?"

The man's cloak ruffled and the sound of fingers being snapped could be heard. Yurei yelped in surprise as the whole body bag disappeared in a burst of flame. Within seconds there was nothing left but traces of ash.

Immediately, Kin, Kai, and Yurei all were up front. Kin and Kai both drew kunai, while Yurei tugged on the linens of Shadow Goddess to loosen them. Ayumi drew a kunai too, but knew that the boys would probably fight this guy, whoever he is…

Silently, the man swept his cloak back to reveal a single arm wrapped in black silk. Then he charged at all three of them with incredible speed.

_To be continued…_


	21. Mysterious Assailant

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 21: Mysterious assailant

_Immediately, Kin, Kai, and Yurei all were up front. Kin and Kai both drew kunai, while Yurei tugged on the linens of Shadow Goddess to loosen them. Ayumi drew a kunai too, but knew that the boys would probably fight this guy, whoever he is…_

_Silently, the man swept his cloak back to reveal a single arm wrapped in black silk. Then he charged at all three of them with incredible speed._

Kai's eyes widened from behind his sunglasses. "Scramble!" Then he began a long chain of back-flips, while Yurei ran right and Kin ran left.

The man landed where they had been, his revealed hand touching the ground. "_Hakai_." An explosion shook the ground as a huge crater was torn in the earth from the force of his touch. Standing, he stood in the wind of his own blast quietly.

Yurei slid to a stop and propped Shadow Goddess against a tree. "For now, let's see what this guy really has." Charging, his hands quickly formed the seals for his technique of choice. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" In a burst of smoke, there was now twenty different Yurei charging towards the man.

The man's hand flexed a couple of times and then slid back underneath his cloak.

Two of the Yurei leapt towards the man in a suicide strike, but both froze and grunted as something struck them hard enough to dispel them immediately.

("What was that?") Yurei glanced at the other remaining seventeen replications. "Let's go, formation three." Nodding, five of them charged towards the man while the others ran out to form a loose circle a safe distance away from him.

The man stepped forwards and the five charging replications as gasped as the air was blown from their lungs by an invisible force that instantly forced them to dispel. As he walked, one by one the replications were struck by this force. Finally Yurei was the only one left, but the man did not attack him with the method used to break the replications.

"My turn." Kai appeared right behind the man, using the speed training he had achieved under Kai to the best of his advantage. "Let's see what you've got." Snapping his hands up, he formed a quick series of seals. "_Katon; Honoo Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Exhaling four puffs of flame, he blurred out of sight.

The man stomped his foot once and four cloud of embers appeared around him, indicating the immediate defeat of the four fire replications.

"All according to plan." Kai was in the air above the man, his technique seals complete. "_Katon; Hantei Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Opening his mouth wide, he exhaled a flaming cloud that swallowed up not only the man but also the surrounding fifty feet of woodlands.

Yurei frowned as the fire finally died down. ("What was that attack he used against my replications? Despite my connection to them mentally, I'm still not sure what it was.")

The man walked out of the fire, not a single scorch mark on him.

Kai appeared next to Yurei. "Is he another of the Seven Sins?" Yurei's response was to walk over and remove the linens from Shadow Goddess.

Kin stepped in front of the man. "_Fuuton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!" White wisps of silk appeared around his body. "Let's see what you've got, trying to act all cool…" He disappeared, and a second later he was flying through the air face-first, a bruise on his right cheek.

Kai sweat-dropped, while Ayumi face-fell. ("How did he beat Pride anyway?")

The man's calm expression turned into a frown. "Sad." Then Kai and Ayumi were both flying as something invisible slammed into both of them, sending Kai into a tree trunk and then Ayumi into Kai. "Barely worth it."

"Don't underestimate us." Yurei had Shadow Goddess hefted over one shoulder, holding the weapon one-handed. "Let's see what you can do against us when we're serious." White energy flared along the blade's edge.

Kai ignored the slap he got from Ayumi for apparently touching her when not allowed, though he didn't argue that he had no choice in the matter. Adjusting his sunglasses, he momentarily revealed a pair of silver irises. "So we have to all go at this one full power, hmm? I guess he must by a Sin."

The man stopped and tilted his head back as he felt a tingle of gathering chakra in the air.

"_Kagayaki Rakuen_!" Kin's body disappeared in a momentary halo of golden chakra, and then he emerged from it in the form Ayumi had so strangely called the Golden Retriever. "So, you want to push us around? Well then how about we remind you Sins that we aren't so easily bullied."

Ayumi stared at each of the three, one after another. ("Incredible…and they're only Genin level…")

Yurei grasped Shadow Goddess with both hands and charged, dragging his blade along the ground as hard as he could. "_Kage Mangetsu_!" Leaping into the air, he drove his now shining sword blade down towards the man's head.

Parting his cloak, the man's silk-covered hand shot up and caught the weapon by the blade. Unfocused chakra from the powerful attack washed over him, but he seemed unaffected. "Slightly less dull."

Kai appeared right behind the man at that moment, his right hand glowing red. "Let's find out whether Sins have hearts or not…" He jabbed his hand towards the section of the man's chest containing the heart, but was stopped by the same invisible force from before. And this time it held him in mid-air, refusing to release his hand.

Kin appeared right in front of the man, golden chakra emitting from his body to the point he was nearly invisible within it. "_Rakuen Boufuu_!" Then he was a comet of energy that slammed into the man at full speed.

The man seemed vaguely surprised by this, and let himself roll backwards rapidly until he had some distance between himself and apparently the strongest member of the group. ("So…he is the one that killed Pride?") Standing, the man flexed his free hand. The black silk around it moved with its shifting, and he tilted his covered face to look at Kin. "Who are you?"

"Kin Watanabe…" Kin cracked his knuckles. "Now let's go!" Then he disappeared.

The man suddenly turned, his legs sliding out so that he was in a crouching position when he finished the turn. His free hand was touching something for a second, and then Kin appeared ten feet away gasping for air. "You're not exactly skilled, even considering the power you are giving off."

Kin snarled, showing off a single fang. "I'll show you skilled!" Then he disappeared.

The man disappeared, and Kin appeared where he had been standing with his fist out in a punching motion.

"Speed is nothing if you cannot control the power you use it with." The man whispered into Kin's ear, and then pressed the flat of his hand against the boy's back. "_Hakai. Reiki._" Then he removed his hand and turned to calmly walk away.

Kin didn't move, his eyes quivering and his body starting to shake. ("What was…") He coughed up blood. ("But…") His hair and eyes both flushed back to their normal colors. Then he coughed up more blood.

"Kin…" Kai couldn't believe that Kin, who had the power of an elite Jounin, had just been damaged by a touch.

Yurei growled and gripped the handle of Shadow Goddess tighter. "Here we go, Sin!" The blade started to glow white. "_Kage Mangetsu_!" He began to charge…

Ayumi grabbed his shoulder. "Are you insane?"

Shoving her back, he roared out and charged towards the man's retreating back. "I'll show you that you can't just push people around like that!" He slammed the glowing sword towards the man's back and then they both disappeared within the howling blast of white energy that was created.

The man appeared a few feet away and kept walking. Yurei leapt from the crater he had made, sword white again, and tried the Shadow Full Moon again.

Again the man appeared a few feet away from the crater.

Kai's hands were trembling as he stared at the man. ("I…I can't track…I can't even detect his normal movements. They're like trying to catch a shadow with your bare hands…an impossible event.")

"So you want to teach me a lesson for attacking your friend like I did." The man turned to face Yurei. "I'll make you a deal…one attack."

"What?" The boy blinked in surprise.

"I'll do nothing against one of your attacks. I'd like to see just how strong you are." The man's hand fell back under his cloak.

Yurei's eyes hardened and he gripped Shadow Goddess as tight as he could. "You insolent bastard…" White chakra flowed from the sword's blade. "I'll show you the mistake you just made…by cutting you apart!" He charged, raising the sword behind him and preparing to put all of his strength into this strike. "_Taju Kage Mangetsu_!" The blade suddenly flared to life, so bright that even in the day's light it was blinding. Then he dropped the blade towards the man and everything within a mile's radius was momentarily illuminated as the energy of the super Shadow Full Moon released itself.

As the light cleared, it revealed Yurei's astonished face. He watched as the slivers of metal that had been Shadow Goddess' body fell to the ground around him. "But…that can't be…I…"

"My chakra protects me regardless of what I wish. And apparently even when not trying I can overwhelm your sword." The man turned and continued walking away.

Yurei's hands started to tremble. Something was wrong here…completely wrong. This was an opponent beyond Pride…far beyond… "We…we're out of our league…"

Kai growled and his hands were about to move, but Aiko grabbed his arms to stop him. "No…don't…"

The man stopped suddenly now that he was thirty feet away, and turned to face Kin's still quivering form. "I'll be taking my prize now." Then the boy was moving, yanked through the air like he was on a string. He slid to a stop next to the man, who revealed his left arm. The silk around the arm moved back to reveal a single black tattoo on the underside of his arm. "_Inu no Kahou_…" He slapped Kin's back roughly and then turned, walking away again. "Come."

Kin's body stopped quivering, and he turned to stumble after the man.

"Kin!" Aiko yelled, hoping to snap the boy out of it.

The man turned to face Aiko. "You wish to stop me? Have you learned that much in Konoha?"

Aiko's whole body was trembling as she slid into a fighting stance. "I…I'll stop you…I will…"

He calmly reached up towards his visor. "Is that so?" Slowly it started to come off. "Then let me 'see' what you can do."

Aiko grimaced. "Everyone…look away..." Sweat slid down her face. ("Is this where I die? After avenging Kane, will I find death through this fight?")

The man removed his visor fully and opened his eyes, revealing a pair of blood red irises. But the wrong thing about it was the shape of his pupils…they were shaped like skulls. "_Shinagan_…"

Suddenly an explosion of dust filled the area. "Good thing I arrived just in time...and good thing I had a couple of ANBU follow these guys out of the country."

The man smiled slightly. "Kakashi…is that you? I missed you…"

Strolling out of the dust cloud, Kakashi smiled slightly through his mask. Brushing back his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan, his eyes looked happy. "It's been a long time, hasn't it? Though honestly…" His expression turned cold. "It hasn't been long enough."

Yurei stumbled out of the cloud, his arm up over his eyes. "Who is this man, Hokage-sama?"

"Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi came flying out of the cloud and latched onto Kakashi.

Paying the girl no mind, Kakashi and the man met eyes. "A self-proclaimed Kage…and despite such a thing he deserves the title. This is Kemukage…this is Death, the leader of the Seven Sins."

Death lifted up his left arm and the tattoo glowed a deep red light momentarily. "_Hakai!"_

Yurei and Ayumi suddenly found both of themselves in the air, each one under one of Kakashi's arms. Kakashi looked down at the man and frowned. "You're awfully eager to begin." Landing, he dropped them both. "Ayumi, go check on Kin. Yurei, watch her back."

Death's rough features smiled slightly in anticipation of what was coming. "Does that mean we can fight, Kakashi? Does that mean I can experience the pleasure of fighting someone like you again so soon?" His hand started to twitch.

Yurei managed to stifle his trembling and followed Ayumi as she ran right past Death. The Kage didn't even notice her passing, and he didn't notice Yurei either. His attention was solely on Kakashi.

Kakashi had to admit he actually felt just a little bit happy at the turn of events. ("I expected another Sin to come for the disposal of Pride's body…but instead 'he' came out. I suppose it makes sense so, since this demon is so important to him.") A sharp wind blew through his grey hair.

Death flexed his free hand again. "Now then, Hokage…let's see if fire can quell smoke."

Meanwhile, Ayumi was sitting down with Kin lying on the ground in front of her. ("Something is very wrong here…very wrong. His chakra circulatory system is completely messed up. That touch from before crossed everything up…his chakra is swirling out of control.") Her eyes widened as a dark aura started to build around the boy's body. ("No! The demon is using this moment to try and free itself again…") She extended her energy to the jewel, trying to force it to begin healing the damage caused by Death's attack.

Kin's right face twitched, revealing a long fang. "No…keep away from me…." He started to tremble. "Where is the path? Where is…" His voice broke away and his movement stopped.

Ayumi continued to focus on using the jewel to heal the damage done to him. "Fight it..."

Kin tossed back and forth, his entire body burning. "Please…someone help me…"

Ayumi's arms started to tremble. Nothing was happening… ("I can't help him…I can't do anything for him…")

Yurei kneeled down next to her and looked down at Kin worriedly. "Can't you do anything for him?"

Her face shifted to determined. "I can try…"

_To be continued…_


	22. Death vs Kakashi

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 22: Death vs. Kakashi; What a match!

_Kakashi had to admit he actually felt just a little bit happy at the turn of events. ("I expected another Sin to come for the disposal of Pride's body…but instead 'he' came out. I suppose it makes sense so, since this demon is so important to him.") A sharp wind blew through his grey hair._

_Death flexed his free hand again. "Now then, Hokage…let's see if fire can quell smoke."_

Kakashi started to mentally review what he remembered about Death from before. ("His eyes are a danger, and his hand is too. Depending on how much of his power he wants to start with, I might have to try to end this quickly.") He glanced over at the tossing and turning Kin. ("And the other factor is the demon. I managed to quell it before, but if it has gotten stronger then I might not be able to next time.") His hands snapped together and he started to form the necessary seals for the first technique he had in mind for this fight. ("I'll begin with some shadow replications…")

Death's face reflected a cold soul… "I'm tired of this game. Prepare yourself." His eyes widened slightly and he disappeared.

Kakashi broke his technique and leapt to the side, barely flinching as Death's outstretched hand appeared so close to his face that it nearly brushed his nose. ("So he's trying to kill me immediately…") Using his left foot, he drove his right foot forward into Death's stomach.

Death barely flinched, and his left hand dove for Kakashi's head. "Stupid mistake…"

Kakashi slammed his right hand into Death's chest, and a blast of electricity came from it, sending the Sin flying away. "I agree. Don't get so close to me and think it will be easy to overcome me with your touch. I'm not your lesser."

Death stood up and his eyes started to glow bright red.

Kakashi's Sharingan widened and he saw it. All around Death's body was a writhing mass of chakra, which moved like some kind of tentacle-using living creature. ("Shit…") Then the tentacles moved, slamming and striking the ground wildly in an attempt to batter him to death underneath their mass. But he moved like a shadow amongst shadows, avoiding getting touched at all.

Death felt this, and was pleased. ("Only another one like me could survive such an attack. It's you Kakashi…it is you that I must fight now!") He disappeared, moving so fast that even Kakashi had trouble dodging the attack thrown.

---------------

_Kin tossed back and forth, his entire body burning. "Please…someone help me…"_

_Ayumi's arms started to tremble. Nothing was happening… ("I can't help him…I can't do anything for him…")_

_Yurei kneeled down next to her and looked down at Kin worriedly. "Can't you do anything for him?"_

_Her face shifted to determined. "I can try…" _

Yurei glanced back at the battle that was raging so close to them that he could nearly touch it. ("A battle of Hokage-sama and a ninja just as strong…") His back tingled as he felt the earth shake momentarily from a single clash between the two. ("It's like watching gods fight…it's beyond what I could ever imagine.")

Ayumi kicked Yurei in the shin roughly. "Help me hold him down!"

"Sorry!" Yurei dropped to his knees and tried to pin Kin's shoulders down while the girl held her hands right over the center of the boy's chest. "What's the matter with him?"

"It's some kind of double jeopardy effect…" Her eyes narrowed. "The first attacks…that touch that knocked him out of Paradise…" Green light started to shine from her hands. "It had some kind of damaging chakra vibration from it. It's shaking his internal organs apart from the inside."

"From the inside?" Yurei paled. "But he only touched him…"

"It's a strange technique that I don't understand the mechanics of, but I know what it did." Ayumi closed her eyes and concentrated. "The other problem comes from that back slap…it's warping his chakra and I don't know what the end result will be. In combination, these two would kill him quickly…I have to trigger the jewel's ability to heal."

"If you don't…" Yurei grunted as Kin nearly threw him away with another shove. "His strength is increasing…"

"I don't know what will happen, but I doubt it will be a good thing." Ayumi took another deep breath. She could do this.

-------------

Kakashi touched down and brushed his jacket off. "You still have that problem with your bloodlust. Patience is not something you want to deal with."

Death continued to walk towards Kakashi, his chakra lashing about him as if agitated by the barb. "I shall tear out your spine. Perhaps if you live long enough I will be able to do more though…"

Kakashi slid his hands into his pockets. "You're too eager. And eagerness can lead to mistakes."

Death's eyes met Kakashi's and for a moment there was an air between the two of them that could only be considered murderous. Any kind of friendly interaction was gone…it was time to end play-time and see who was truly the strongest. "You're an anomaly Kakashi. You have such power, and yet you do nothing with it." The Sin's rough voice seemed to echo for miles within the souls of everyone around. "What is the purpose of being Hokage if it means that you do nothing but stand around and act the part of a figure-head all day?"

"It's more than that…and besides, I'm only a temp. Eventually a real Hokage will step forward, and then I can return to being a Jounin." Kakashi heard a scream of pain, and knew it was Kin. "Any particular reason you would use your cursed arm on the boy?"

"I want to see something…I want to see how he handles living like I had to live." Death's left arm lifted up and flexed, before the black silk withdrew to reveal an arm covered with numerous different symbols in black ink. "Don't you like it? In one arm I have the power to destroy humans by the dozens."

"I'm going to amputate that disgusting arm." Kakashi removed his right arm from his pocket to reveal a crackling ball of electricity. "_Chidori…_"

"Still relying on those kinds of attacks to end the fight for you?" Death's left arm started to glow red. "You were once known as the copy ninja, and that is to your credit. However, you are useless against me. Sharingan cannot copy any of my techniques, because they aren't techniques…" His skull-shaped pupils contracted and locked onto Kakashi. "They are gifts given to me by the gods for my good actions…"

"I wouldn't call massacring over five thousand people any kind of good action." Kakashi felt his blood boil, as memories of the village he had gone to flashed in his mind. "Now…I'll end it! _Double Chidori_!" His other hand snapped up to reveal another crackling lightning ball. "Die!" He disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

Death's left arm snapped up…

------------------------

Ayumi gasped as Kin's eyes snapped open. The pupils were both perfectly slotted, where as before it was only minor. ("Something is wrong…the seal can't be that damaged. This is something else…")

"Get…away…" Kin punched Yurei in the chin, and that launched the boy skywards. Shoving Ayumi away, he stood up and clutched at his stomach. ("I won't let this stop me…I'll beat that guy…")

A growl of pain caught all of their attention.

-----------------------

"Big mistake Kakashi…" Death's glowing hand held Kakashi's right wrist roughly. "Your attack is useless against me when I have my eyes out…you know that…"

Kakashi growled in pain again as the burning flesh of the cursed arm seared him.

"Pay for your mistake." Death's chakra came alive, smacking Kakashi up into the air like a rag doll and then pummeling him mercilessly.

"Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi leapt up and charged towards Death at a remarkable speed. "Get away from him!"

Death glared right at her, and she froze. Something in those eyes promised a fate beyond death…

Aiko appeared next to Ayumi and covered her eyes with a hand. "Close…" She touched a finger to Ayumi's neck and then breathed a sigh of relief. ("Good…it didn't have enough time to kill her.")

The chakra finally released Kakashi, dropping him down to crash in front of Death. Right as the body hit the ground though, it turned into a huge glob of mud.

("A replacement technique.") Death slowly strolled in a small circle, looking amongst the nearby trees. "Where are you Kakashi? I know the truth about you, and that is that when we fought before you were lucky. Everyone thinks that we are equals…but you know the truth. My attacks consume nearly no chakra, while yours require most of it." He extended his energy to all around him. "Where? Where are you hiding?"

Kin tried to move towards Death, but his body hurt too much. ("My physiology is changing…I can feel it.") He knew his body well, and this didn't feel like his body. The damage being inflicted to his internal organs was livable, because of his body's structure. If he was anyone other than a member of the physically unbreakable Watanabe clan, then he'd be dead already. ("It's this other feeling…I'm changing and I can't stop it.") He dropped to one knee. ("Is this my limit? After achieving the Radiant Paradise, I should be able to stop this kind of enemy.")

Death placed his cursed hand palm-first against the ground. "_Hakai_." An earthquake shook the surrounding countryside. ("Found you.") Then he disappeared, and a second later the ground shook again. A huge flock of birds launched up into the sky from the far-away treetops, indicating where the battle was taking place. Trees started to fall, and there was a yell of pain.

Aiko frowned and released Ayumi. "Don't be stupid…none of us can help this time. There is no one who can possibly defeat Death other than Kakashi-sama." Another earthquake shook the ground. ("Don't die Kakashi…")

--------------

Kakashi leapt through the air, landing on a nearby tree branch right before a giant tentacle of chakra slammed down into his back. When it withdrew, it came back covered in mud.

("Another one?") Death was growing tired of this game. Kakashi couldn't keep dodging forever. "I will find you. You know that, right?"

"We'll see. _Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" White smoke filled the air, and when it cleared there were hundreds of Kakashi standing all around. Some were in trees, some were standing on the bodies of the trees like they were the ground. "No matter what you say, you're not stronger than I am. We're close enough that it's only a matter of who does the smarter move…"

"And that's me." Death smiled slightly, and then melted into a puddle of mud.

("A replication?") Suddenly the air was alive as a giant mass of chakra tentacles exploded out of the ground, tearing through dozens of replications instantly. Through the smoke of the dispelling replications, the tentacles kept striking. Though each of these were Kakashi, they only had a small portion of chakra to use. And that chakra wasn't enough to survive the brutal speed of these tentacles.

----------------

Everyone watched as the trees seemed to be torn apart by invisible winds.

Kai frowned, watching through his sunglasses. His eyes were following something, but even he wasn't sure what it was. ("A blur?")

Yurei felt his arms trembling again. ("There was a massive burst of shadow chakra…and then hundreds of shadow replications…but now there's only one…and now none.")

"Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi started to run forward again, but Aiko stopped her once more.

Kin snarled louder, his fangs bared. ("I'll…") Blood started to drip down the side of his mouth. There was nothing he could do…the blow from before was still damaging to him.

----------------

The entire forest area now seemed like a battlefield. Trees were torn to shreds, and there was nothing left standing but two men.

Kakashi brushed a few splinters from his hair. "Your method of battling is pure violence…nothing more or less."

"Violence works…" Death's left hand flexed. "Besides, you're running low on chakra. What did you expect that massive number of replications to do other than die?"

Kakashi dropped to one knee, but kept his eyes on the dangerous mass of chakra tentacles that surrounded Death's body.

"You're done. Die." Death leapt, the mass of tentacles attacking all at once. Though Kakashi tried to escape, he could only dodge the first dozen before the next three dozen each got a firm hold on him. "And now I tear you apart…"

Kakashi, now up in the air and held in place by the tentacles…smiled with his eyes. "It's over."

Death was about to ask what he meant, but froze. ("I can't move?") His left arm twitched, but no matter what he did he couldn't move. ("How?")

"You fell for it Death." Kakashi casually strolled out from behind a huge pile of kindling. "That wasn't me…it was my new technique. _Yuki Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_."

The trapped Kakashi suddenly turned into a statue of ice. And then Death could see what had happened. There was ice all along his tentacles, and his body. He was frozen. ("Impossible…")

"You're too quick to attack, so by creating an army of shadow replications and then one snow replication I managed to trick you easily." Kakashi strolled to in front of the Sin, ignoring the momentary twitch from the tentacles. "It ends here, you know that."

Kakashi's smiling eyes turned dark. "I'll make it quick." Lightning crackled along his body. His right arm snapped out and lightning built within his palm. _"Kagayaki Rakiri_!" The ball grew to the size of a watermelon. "This will blow a hole right through you, so big that even with your body type you won't survive." He charged towards Death at full speed.

The Sin smiled. "Ice? Death is colder than ice."

An explosion rang out across the entire countryside once more.

Kakashi looked down at his chest, and at the hand that gripped it. Then pain shot through him and he couldn't move.

"You're the fool. I may have fallen for your trick, but you fell for mine." Death held Kakashi in place, the burning energy from his cursed arm stopping the Hokage from running. "It's a shame Kakashi, but you underestimated my power. If you hadn't, perhaps you would have killed me."

Kakashi started to tremble uncontrollably, as the energy from the cursed hand attacked his body's central nervous system. ("I failed…stupid mistake on my part…")

"Die, fool." Death started to clench tighter, burning away at Kakashi's flesh with the cursed energy.

Kakashi's eyes started to close, as he felt his chakra supply being destroyed by the consuming touch of the arm. ("I…I…") His mind was fading.

Death started to smile…and then his eyes widened. ("What in the…") He was no longer holding Kakashi…but a log. ("A replacement technique? But he couldn't have…")

"I'm glad you sent for me…Kakashi-sensei."

Death slowly turned to see Kakashi propped up against a tree, and there was someone between them. He wore an orange, blue and black suit, with a Jounin vest over it. "Who are you?"

Thumbing at himself, the blond-haired and blue-eyed man smiled confidently. "Naruto Uzumaki, the man who will replace Kakashi-sensei as Hokage."

"Naruto…" Death frowned. "I have heard of you. Interesting…" His cursed hand started to flex. "I'll tear you apart."

"Actually…" Naruto's smile didn't relent.

Death saw a burst of smoke, and realized his mistake. ("The stick wasn't a stick.") Then a pair of arms locked him in place.

"You should know better than to think it that easy. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_." A burst of smoke appeared next to Naruto, and now there were two of him. "Take this." Both of them snapped back their right hand, chakra swirling within their palms. "We'll stop you right now, Death."

Death's tentacles were still frozen, and now he was restricted. ("I can't stop the attack…")

Both Naruto and the replication put their hands near each other, the gathering chakra building rapidly into a large swirling ball. "_Rasengan…_" Then both charged towards him.

Death growled and his muscles bulged up for a moment from underneath his cloak. "Another time then." And then he disappeared, leaving Naruto and Kakashi alone in the destroyed woods.

_To be continued…_


	23. Training

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 23: Training

A cold wind blew through his body, and then Death found himself standing in the red light of his private quarters. ("That man was Naruto? How annoying…I had to let Kakashi live because of him.") His chakra flexed and the ice energy that held it in place shattered. ("That was such a waste of time then…I didn't even get the demon.")

The door to his room opened. "Kemukage-sama, why are you back so soon?"

"I encountered resistance worthy of some small notice." Turning, Death moved towards his doors. "What do Lust and Gluttony report?"

"They report that all methods of entry into Konoha still remain tightly guarded. Unless you would like to declare war on the entire nation, it is not an option to infiltrate through most conventional and even unconventional means." The messenger remained in the shadows right outside the door.

"Hmm…" Death rubbed at his chin. "Then let's see how Kakashi reacts to me playing 'fair'."

---------------

The sound of running footsteps caught Naruto's attention. "Doctor! Doctor! Kin Watanabe is gone!"

"What?" The head doctor came running out of his office, just in time to hear Naruto burst out laughing. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. I went into his room and the window was open!" The nurse began to panic, because she could only imagine what kinds of troubles would spring from this. Hokage-sama, still one of the hottest available men in Konoha, might just blame her for it!

Naruto stood up and grinned. "Don't worry, I know where he is and I'll bring him back." Then the replication dispelled itself right before their eyes.

--------------

Naruto stood at the top of the hospital, where the hospital staff would hang up cloth to make it dry faster. He knew exactly where Kin would have gone. "Come on out, I know you're here."

"What do you want?" An angry voice growled out.

"I want to try and help you understand your problem." Taking on seriousness to his tone, Naruto continued to wander around amongst the maze of towels looking for the boy. "I know you're somewhere nearby, so why hide?"

"Because I'm a freak now…" Kin's voice was angry, very angry. And it reminded Naruto of someone…of Garaa.

("It reminds me of myself too. When I was a child I cursed the world, thinking I was completely wrong to even live.") Naruto sighed and walked towards the veils of sheets that cut the two of them off. "Listen, it can't be that bad." Reaching out, he moved the sheets aside and gasped at what he saw.

Kin was looking out over the edge of the roof, his eyes looking down at the ground below sadly. "Can't be that bad?" His canine features had become much more prominent, to the point of making him look completely feral even when he was calm. Not only that, but atop his head there were a pair of canine ears that were the same strange green the rest of his hair was. His hair cut off all view of where his regular ears should be, and Naruto knew better than to just flat out ask. "Death's touch did something to me…it did more than shattering the seal on the jewel, didn't it? Even the doctors don't understand what it means…"

Naruto closed his eyes and walked over slowly to sit next to Kin, dangling his legs over the side of the roof. For a few minutes neither of them said anything…

"I can't even see my mother anymore…" Kin clenched his fist tightly to the point of drawing blood. "She mustn't see me like this. It would break her heart to see her son as some kind of monster…"

"Yeah, she'd probably hate you and shun you, wouldn't she?" Naruto grinned, speaking words that didn't fit his happy facial expression. "Your life would end. Maybe you're just better off running away?"

"What?" Kin slowly turned to look at Kakashi's savior like he was insane. "How can you possibly smile at that…?"

Naruto stood up, getting right into Kin's face. "You're useless. What kind of son can't even uphold his mother's requests? She wanted you to be safe, right? And yet here you are, now a horrible ugly monster that no one can tolerate."

Kin's muscles tightened and he snarled from deep within his throat. "Shut up…"

"Maybe we should just lock you up and throw away the key, monstrosity…" Naruto started to laugh.

"Shut up!" Kin punched as fast as he could, but Naruto was already moving backwards. Following, the boy unleashed a flurry of attacks that would have killed anyone who had been in their way. "What do you know about it? Do you think I wanted this to happen? I hate it!" The last sentence was screamed as loudly as possible.

Naruto stood at the corner edge of the rooftop now. "You can't protect your mother, or any of them from Death. If he wants them to die, then all you can do is join them. You know that, don't you?"

Kin's eyes now reflected a feral anger at the man in front of him. "NO! I will protect them from him…I will not let the Seven Sins have their way with Konoha!"

"And just what can you do, scared little puppy?" Naruto still smiled, despite the venom in his words.

"I will get stronger! I will not let them defeat me simply because of some lousy demon in my body!" Kin's chakra flared to life around him. "I will protect them all!" He glared at Naruto, tears forming in his eyes. "Now…" His words cut off in his throat as suddenly the situation changed. His rage seemed to dissolve in the wind, replaced by a sadness that left him crying.

Naruto hugged Kin gently, letting the boy sob into his shoulder. ("He's only twelve…but he already understands what I knew at that age…") Tears were in his eyes too. "I'm so sorry Kin…please forgive me…"

Deep within his heart, Kin knew it had been a test of will. Naruto had wanted to make sure that his resolve was still in place. "I won't give up on my dream…I will master the Radiant Paradise and stop Death from destroying Konoha…"

Naruto smiled slyly. "But how can you do that at your current level of strength?"

"I can't." Kin cracked his knuckles, his plight about his new form forgotten. "I'll simply get stronger. That's what you would do, isn't it Naruto-san?"

"How can you get stronger? By training your muscles more?" Naruto chuckled. "It won't be enough." He stood up and extended a hand. "Let me help you…let me help you achieve your goal. In one month the Chuunin Exam will begin. By then you'll be ready, I swear it."

"You…you want me to train under you?" Kin's hands started to tremble. He'd never thought to go to someone else for training. And the more he thought about it, the better it sounded. "What about Kai and Yurei, I can't just leave them in the dust…"

Naruto grinned slyly once more. "I've got plans for those two. Kai reminds me a lot of a certain someone that I think he would like to meet…"

Kin grabbed Naruto's hand and squeezed roughly. "I accept! Thank you so much, Naruto-sama!"

Blushing, Naruto rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "There's no need for that sama stuff. Just call me Naruto."

Nodding, Kin turned to look out over Konoha. "In one month…I'll protect you all from the Seven Sins!" He yelled this at the top of his lungs. "I'll achieve my goals…I'll reach a new level of strength to do it!"

Naruto patted his new student on the shoulder. "Yeah, you will. But first…what's your name? I never really caught it…"

-----------------

A loud yell of surprise, followed by a half-naked Kakashi running out of his room, was happening at this moment in time. "Ayumi! Stop it!"

"But Kakashi-sama, someone has to wash your back while you are in bed!" Said girl came charging out after her beloved moments later. "Kakashi-sama!" The whole building shook for a moment, bringing her pause. ("Was that an earthquake?")

-----------------

Naruto looked down over the edge of the roof at the crater that Kin had created when he had face-fallen right off the ledge. "I bet that hurt."

A muffled noise came from the crater, indicating agreement. Apparently it did hurt, a lot.

------------------

A few minutes later, Kin and Naruto entered the hospital once more. Upstairs they could both hear some kind of commotion, and from the sounds of it Ayumi was involved.

Kin rolled his eyes, none the worse for his fall, other than a little dusty. "What a strange girl…how can she obsess after someone like Hokage-sama?" He froze as the whole hospital went silent….

"Because Kakashi-sama is perfect!" Ayumi yelled right into one of his canine ears. Kin was floored by the volume, while Naruto face-fell because apparently Ayumi was better than she let on when it came to ninja skills. There was no other explanation for suddenly going from being upstairs to downstairs so quickly. "His greatness of form and strength make him the perfect man to idolize. And his mysterious demeanor is so appealing because he's just like the mysterious hero of every great action romance story ever told since the beginning of time!"

Kin decided that to prevent further face-falling, he'd just stay on the ground. Naruto decided on the same.

Ayumi huffed at both of them and then when they blinked again she was gone.

"Is…is she always like that?" Naruto slowly stood up.

Kin nodded weakly and stood up as well. "Yeah…whenever Hokage-sama is involved."

------------------

"You can't hope to match me, you know that, right?" Yurei said calmly, Shadow Goddess slung over one shoulder. "I've got your number."

"So you say." Kai pushed his sunglasses a little farther up on his nose. "I, on the other hand, know the truth. You can't fight your way past my skills, no matter how sharp your sword is."

"You know how to talk big, but can you back it up?" Yurei calmly grasped Shadow Goddess' hilt with both hands. "Well?"

Kai smiled slightly and felt all of his muscles bunching up as he got ready to make his move. "Of course…ready?" Then he disappeared.

Yurei twisted on one foot, and turned about one hundred degrees to his right. Sure enough, Kai was right there in a mid-attack position. "You can't expect to beat me with such slow…" Slashing through the replacement log that he knew was already there, he used the force of the horizontal swing to spin and face Kai, who had appeared directly behind him. "…reflexes, can you Kai?"

"Who said I'm slow?" Kai snickered as Shadow Goddess met resistance in mid-swing. "I can see through it all, you know that." His kunai, enhanced by his chakra, easily held the blade at bay. "Sharpen that resolve, or else you can't hit me."

"I'll sharpen it more than enough for you!" Yurei knocked the weapon away and leapt, the blade glowing white. "_Kage Mangetsu_!" Then the world turned to white fire for Kai.

Seconds later, Yurei was hurtling through the air. ("That didn't connect…he's too quick for it to connect without using a different method to disable him!") Right as he landed, he felt the sudden tingle of gathering chakra. ("Crap…")

"_Katon; Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Kai exhaled his fireball quickly, knowing that he was attacking a shadow replication before the attack had even been launched. ("He can't actually expect me to fall for such an amateur trick…")

Yurei leapt out of the fire, sword glowing bright white. "You're over-thinking the situation! _Kage Mangetsu_!" Then the blade fell.

Kai threw himself away, though the burst of energy blew him into a tree roughly. ("He's right, the escaping form I saw was a shadow replication. I thought too much into his counter technique…") Then he was moving, using the superhuman speed he had gained through Kin's training techniques to find some kind of opening in the nearly impossible defensive network Yurei had. ("The Shadow Genius can sense any attack coming from any direction…there's no way I can possibly hope to catch up to…") He blinked as Yurei disappeared in a burst of white smoke. ("Another replication?") Stopping and spinning around, he gasped at the falling white blade that was mere inches from him.

"_Kage Mangetsu_!" And then it was over.

Kai pulled himself free from the crater his body had created. "You're good…"

Yurei stood up and took a deep breath. "You're very good yourself, considering I nearly burned myself out trying to catch you with my attack." They both had, in the short time since Pride, learned to appreciate each other's abilities just a little more.

A quiet clapping caught both of their attentions. "Not bad at all…not bad at all. Maybe Naruto was right about your abilities…"

Both boys went silent, as they realized that neither of them had sensed anyone nearby until the man had already made himself known. "Who are you?"

The man was a tall, well-built gentleman in his late twenties. He had long black hair that was tied in a pony-tail, and his eyes had the knowing glow of experience to them. "My name?" Something about the look that crossed his face reminded Yurei far too much of Kai. "Uchiha Sasuke…."

"Uc…hi…ha?" Kai froze…

"You mean…" Yurei couldn't believe it. Uchiha Sasuke was considered a legend, because he was the last recorded member of the legendary Uchiha clan.

"That's right." Sasuke never grew tired of the mix of respect and fear his name drew from anyone who knew of his clan's history. ("They're right to fear me…") He didn't understand why Naruto had mentioned this Akurei boy's house in the first place. ("Was I supposed to be impressed by the fight those two had? It was…")

"You possess Sharingan?" Kai stepped a little closer. "Correct?"

Though caught off guard by the question, Sasuke nodded.

"Then you will train me." Kai's tone offered no other option.

Yurei just stared between the two, while a cold breeze blew through his backyard.

_To be continued…_


	24. The Chuunin Exam's Beginning

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 24: The Chuunin Exam's beginning

_One month has passed since the members of Team Eight have encountered the leader of the Seven Sins, Death. After a crippling defeat by him, the members of the team decided that the next month should have been spent improving their skills, so that they could make a good showing during the Chuunin Exam._

_Kin Watanabe trained under Naruto Uzumaki, learning much more than he had ever been able to learn on his own. He even began to learn more about the dark force that was slowly consuming him, and how to fight against it._

_Kai Otogi left with Sasuke Uchiha, who he believed would be the perfect teacher for him. Their training methods were mysterious to everyone but themselves, so there is little information on their progress._

_Yurei Akurei has made the most progress, in my opinion. Perhaps it is simply because he's been the only one of the three I've seen for a month, but I've watched him get progressively stronger and stronger. His Heart Rod, Shadow Goddess, seems to get harder and sharper every day, and his skill in the arts of the Shadow Moon style improve. What worries me is that he is becoming too reliant on the ultimate move of the style, the Shadow Full Moon. While its attack power is amazing, he needs to branch out more in his style of combat. Sooner or later, he'll run into an opponent that won't be taken down by a sword._

Aiko's hand stopped glowing and she wiped the ink off of it. ("I wonder how much Kin and Kai have grown. To think that only six weeks ago they were Genin, and yet they managed to battle against one of the Seven Sins and defeat him. I can't even comprehend how much stronger they have gotten now.") Standing up, she stepped outside and smiled, taking a deep breath. "Today is the day…the Chuunin Exam begins today." Then she disappeared in a burst of white smoke.

-----------------

Haru Minishiwa walked across the courtyard of the Ninja Academy, brushing back some of his blue hair. There were ninja everywhere…of all nationalities and types. ("Taijutsu, Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and some who aren't any and some who are all…") A grin was plastered on his face. This was going to be a beautiful next few days.

"Hey, watch where you are going!" Yelled someone from within the crowd. The speaker was a large man wearing a headband of the Hidden Village of Sand.

The person he was yelling at was a young man wearing a black body shirt and shorts, with limp black hair and dull grey eyes. "Or you will what?"

"I'll run you down, you little…" The huge man cocked back his fist and swung.

The blow caught the boy on the chin, and he stumbled backwards. When his head lifted up though, it showed no damage to him. "It will take more than that to stop me."

"What did you say?" Cracking his knuckles, the huge tanned man charged right at the unfazed boy and struck him again and again with his fist.

Haru was about to leap in, but the boy took a couple of casual steps back. When he lifted up his head, he showed that there wasn't even a single scuff mark from the blows. "What was that anyway? If you wanted to say hello, there are easier ways."

"I'll beat you senseless!" The big man charged…

"Pain, if you would please." The boy turned away and didn't even flinch as the man screamed in bloodcurdling pain.

Howling his lungs out, the man clutched at his chest and dropped to his knees. "What's…" Then he felt a single hand touch his neck from behind.

"You're so loud…let me quiet you down." A crack noise echoed across the whole courtyard, and everyone grew silent.

Brushing off his hands, Pain walked over towards his teammate. "Hatred, why didn't you just kill him yourself? Are you soft?"

"Soft?" The limp-haired boy smiled tiredly. "Why waste the muscle effort killing him?"

"True…I only killed him because he needed to be erased." Pain smiled slightly and glanced behind him to see Haru standing just a few inches away. "Something the matter, Konoha dog?"

"Killing isn't allowed unless it's during the exam…" Haru reached out and grabbed Pain by the front of his shirt. "You're coming with…" Then he felt cold…and looked down at his arm. There was another hand grasping it roughly. "Who in the…" He looked to his left, and came face to face with a skinny gaunt man who had limp black hair and dull grey eyes.

"I would advise you to unhand my charge…" The man glanced behind him at a much taller man wearing a heavy black cloak. "By his orders, I'll kill you."

Haru frowned. "Just who do you think…"

The huge man in black stepped forward. "Your betters, that's all you need to know, pawn."

Haru found it hard to breath, his chest couldn't draw breath. ("What's happening to…me? It feels like someone is squeezing the life out of…") His eyes widened as he looked at the cloaked man. "You couldn't possibly…no one could be that…"

"Who are you to think what I can and cannot do? Can you stop me then?" A sharp wind blew by, flipping up the cloak enough to reveal a glimpse of the man's face. "You've been warned." Then Haru was on his knees, sucking in air and trying to regain his lost breath.

The two boys and two men turned and walked towards the complex, not paying the ninja another thought.

--------------

Meanwhile, Yurei Akurei was wearing his best black bodysuit for this occasion. He had arrived just a short while ago, and was now using this spare time to polish Shadow Goddess to a glowing sheen. ("All of my training…I can't let Kai or Kin surpass me by too much.")

"Heya Yurei-chan!"

Yurei grew deeply pale. ("Oh sh…") And then he was getting the life squeezed out of him. "Hi…Ayumi…"

Giggling, Ayumi released the boy from her crushing glomp and motioned out to the huge crowds. "This is great! Can you just imagine how great of a showing Konoha will get to give to the rest of the world?"

Yurei nodded, trying to fix his ribs by readjusting them back into place. "Yeah…it will be great…I guess…"

Ayumi heard the rather depressed tone in his voice, and she grinned. "You're so down…you really want to see them again, don't you?"

"Of course." Yurei smiled warmly. "No matter what, those two were the greatest source of comedy I've ever seen in my entire life."

"Just who are you talking about?" A voice whispered between the two of them. And then they realized someone was standing next to them.

Ayumi nearly leapt out of her skin as she realized Kai was standing next to her. "EEEK!"

Yurei had already face-fallen.

Kai sighed and shook his head. "It's sad…both of you have improved so little in such a long amount of time? I'm disappointed, Yurei…"

Yurei leapt to his feet and struck a heroic pose. "Hey! Don't try and talk down to me, you moody child! I've improved ten-fold since we last fought!" Snapping Shadow Goddess' blade up to near Kai's neck, his voice lowered to a deadly whisper. "Or have you forgotten that I beat you last time?"

"You're not my rival." Kai turned away, ignoring Yurei's face-fall at having been brushed aside. "I have other things on my mind…many other things. There is a single ninja I must surpass, and therefore I have to see whether or not that has already come to be."

Yurei was already standing, and he frowned. "You mean Kin? Can you really expect to compete against someone who had achieved a power capable of making him Elite Jounin level?"

"Compete?" Kai slid his sunglasses on. "Compete is such a weak word. I intend to demolish him."

"Oh really Kai, is that a fact?" All three of them froze as they heard a voice that brought many different memories to them, each one different. One was of the strange single-minded boy they had come to understand, then another of the blazing white angel that moved so fast it was like fighting air, and the final one of the golden-haired 'retriever' that destroyed an opponent all of them had thought invincible. Finally, they turned.

Kin looked the same as ever, with the only exception being that he still had those green-haired canine ears on top of his head. With his hair brushed back, he revealed that he still had his normal human ears too. "Yo."

Kai's response was cold. "Don't try to act cool, it doesn't suit one such as you."

Ayumi just stared at Kin. Something about him was different from before. ("He seemed raw…but now his stance…it's like he is constantly holding back now.") His animalistic facial features didn't help against the image of some kind of wild animal acting civilized. "Kin…it's…"

Yurei just smiled knowingly. He could sense the change, and it impressed him. ("You're a strong man, Kin Watanabe…very strong…")

And then Kin's cold expression was shattered as he smiled warmly. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just no good at being cool, huh? Maybe I should just stick with being me."

Kai nearly face-fell, but to preserve his own coolness he stopped himself. "You're an idiot."

"Maybe so…" Kin grinned and flicked one of the ears on top of his head. "But at least I get compliments from the ladies."

Everyone stared at him like he was insane…

"It's all about the ears." Turning away, Kin started to walk towards the Ninja Academy center. "So, shall we sign up already?"

"Yeah…I guess so…" Yurei was left stupefied by that bizarre statement.

Kin giggled secretly, in his own mind. ("I have my own ways of acting cool, Kai. And now I'll just coolly…") Then he was face-first on the ground, someone twisting his arm behind him. "Who in the…"

"Long time no see, cousin!"

Kin turned ghost white. ("You can't mean it's…") He glanced up and nearly yelped in both surprise and fear. ("It's Kirin…")

The boy who held Kin in place had a huge red Mohawk, and wore a leather jacket with no shirt underneath. His pants were made of some kind of denim material, and his eyes were fire red too. He was definitely well-built. "How long has it been since…"

"Let me go Kirin!" Kin twisted his arm a little more and landed a kick on his aggressor's chest. They held that way for a moment, and then they separated, both landing about ten feet away from each other. This immediately began to attract a small crowd.

Kirin rubbed a finger under his nose. "How have you been, little Kin? I like the ears, though don't you think it's an inappropriate place for cosplay?"

Kin blushed bright red and pointed at his cousin angrily. "Shut up! You don't know anything, do you?"

Ayumi blinked in surprise as her hand was already being kissed. "Huh?"

Kirin finished kissing her hand and then stood up, smiling at her. "Hey there babe, what's a lovely lady like yourself doing in the prescense of my dorky cousin?" Kin face-fell.

Ayumi just stared at him, while Yurei laughed his ass off and Kai tried as hard as possible not to do the same.

Kirin smirked and ducked right as a punch flew past his hair. "Hey now, Kin. You want to spar here?"

Kin followed through with a knee, but already knew that Kirin would just roll away from it. "How stupid are you anyway? I would have thought that whole flirting problem of yours would have been fixed by now!"

"That's so cruel!" Kirin came up in a boxing stance. "It isn't a problem at all. The ladies love it!"

"Uhh…what's going on?" Ayumi just blinked some more, unsure what had just happened.

Kin narrowed his eyes, and his ears perked up slightly. "I'm going to wipe that stupid…"

"Just try it, dear cousin…Kirin Watanabe loves a good…" Kirin hands started to form seals for something…

Then the possible fight ended in a burst of white smoke. "Kirin, you fool! Even in the springtime of youth, there must be limits to your burning spirit!" A crack resounded from within the smoke, and Kirin was sent chin-first flying into the air. When the smoke cleared, it revealed an astounded Kin and a man wearing the clothes of a Jounin level ninja. He had black bobbed hair, and incredibly fuzzy eyebrows…and then he smiled to the crowd, a single star of light coming from his white teeth. "I trained you better than that!"

Kirin crashed face-first into the ground, leaving a small crater. Then he hopped up to his feet, completely unharmed. "But Lee-sensei, I was just…"

Rock Lee landed a heavy blow to his pupil's face, sending Kirin cleanly into the ground. "I won't tolerate stupidity on this kind of day! I want you to be on your best behavior, or else you might make Ereiki-chan cry!"

Kirin leapt to his feet, still unharmed. "But I…" Then his face softened. "Ereiki-chan might cry? That's unacceptable!" He turned to face his cousin, fires burning in his eyes. "Accept my apology or I'll pummel you!"

Kin face-fell, hard this time. He instantly recovered though. "Who do you think you are talking to? Why should I accept anything from you?" Then Kin was moving, as a fist nearly took his head off.

"I said accept my apology!" Kirin was a blur already, his entire body moving like lightning as it struck again and again.

"Kin!" Ayumi started to worry…

Kin side-stepped the third punch and then landed a punch to the side of Kirin's head. "I thought your teacher just told you to…"

Kirin turned, unharmed by the hit. "You're as fast as ever, but I'm still the best in the world when it comes to endurance!" Then they broke, now standing ten feet apart.

Kin sighed. "Well, it looks like you won't let this go huh? Fine, let's do it."

Kirin glanced over at Lee. "Sensei…"

Lee sighed as well. "Who am I to stop you from having some fun…go for it."

Kirin's face lit up with happiness. "Alright, let's do it cousin!" His hands started to move.

Kin's hands started to move as well. Both finished at the same time.

"_Katon; Akahonoo Oni no Jutsu_!"

"_Fuiton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu_!"

_To be continued…_


	25. Elemental Gods

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 25: Elemental Gods; the Watanabe battle

_Kirin glanced over at Lee. "Sensei…"_

_Lee sighed as well. "Who am I to stop you from having some fun…go for it."_

_Kirin's face lit up with happiness. "Alright, let's do it cousin!" His hands started to move._

_Kin's hands started to move as well. Both finished at the same time._

"_Katon; Akahonoo Oni no Jutsu!"_

"_Fuiton; Shirakaze Tenshi no Jutsu!"_

And then the entire courtyard was filled with conflicting energies, both wind and fire. Wisps of silky white air brushed against the faces of some of the spectators, while some of the others flinched away from the searing embers that stung them.

And in the center of all of it, there were two beings covered completely in these auras.

"I wonder just how much you have improved, dear cousin…" Kirin's teeth flashed, and he appeared to be a demon straight from the depths of hell.

Kin would have appeared an angel, but when he sneered his fangs bared themselves and everyone in the surrounding area felt a sudden forceful push at their bodies. "How much I have improved? I wonder how long it will take me to beat you to a living pulp." He slid into a fighting stance, right leg constantly shifting at nearly impossible speeds to burn off the excess chakra before it exploded out of him like a bomb. "Unluckily for you, your kind of inhuman strength and endurance are exactly what I was working towards defeating during my training sessions."

"Then let's see if your training has paid off…dear cousin!" Kirin disappeared, leaving only the slightest wisps of red fire where he had been standing.

"He disappeared!" Ayumi nearly gasped, but then the air was blown out of her as a forceful blast of chakra rocked the entire courtyard.

Kirin smiled slightly, standing behind Kin and his fist resting on his cousin's shoulder. "You shifted out of the way to stop yourself from getting knocked out in that first hit…impressive."

Kin ignored the bloody welt on his cheek where the force of the blow had nearly crushed his face inwards a few inches. Instead, he sneered again. "Perhaps, but the sheer force of that attack hurt me, even though it missed." And then he was gone.

Kirin punched the ground and a huge cloud of dust and debris filled the air around him. "You fool! Don't think I'll make it easy for you to just run around me like a madman. I'll kill you before it comes to that!"

Yurei threw up one arm to block out some of the dirt. "What's going on? They're telegraphing their moves like crazy…"

"It's part of their stupid showmanship…" Kai shook his head and pushed his sunglasses higher up on the bridge of his nose. "Idiots, the both of them. This is more like a play then a fight."

Another explosion rocked the courtyard, and then another. A minute later both Kin and Kirin stood in the same place they had been before, except both were no longer covered in those auras.

Kirin sighed and shook his head. "You can't run forever, Kin. Eventually you will run out of speed, while my endurance will make me impossible to defeat quite that easily." Slamming his fist into his palm, he smiled calmly. "Come."

Kin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Kirin…"

"Are you going to do what you always do? Are you going to give some lame excuse and try to wimp out of our battle between men?" Kirin extended his hand out to the ground. "You can't even hope to match…"

"…don't die." Kin's eyes opened. "Burst Self!" And then he was gone.

Kirin stopped in mid-word, his eyes widening. ("He didn't disengage his technique…he delayed it?") And then he was flying, a fist striking his face. But something was wrong…the blow shouldn't have hurt that much. As Kirin was sent into an insane slide towards the wall, his eyes opened slightly and he instantly stopped himself. Wiping an arm across his cheek, he narrowed his eyes at what he saw. ("Blood? He drew blood in one hit?") The stinging in his cheek said otherwise.

Kin appeared twenty feet away from the wall Kirin had nearly gone through. "Cousin…I'm not the same boy you remember…not by a long shot." His eyes started to glow molten red.

Everyone, Team Eight included, all took a couple of steps back.

Kirin stood up and smirked. "I'll figure out how you did that..." His hand slid up into a fighting stance. "Come…"

Kin's eyes continued to burn. "Burst Self!"

Kirin didn't even have time to feel pain. The blow hit so hard he only felt the wind as he was sent twenty feet into the air. ("An uppercut…but it couldn't have hurt. Kin's punches at that speed are only light taps, because if he tried a full punch then he'd wrench his shoulder out of place…what is he doing differently?") The boy's eyes snapped open. "I'll crush…" A gasp left his lips.

Kin was in the air right in front of him. "No, you won't." His fist rocketed in and pounded right into Kirin's gut.

Tightening his stomach muscles, Kirin got ready for Kin to get repelled so that he could counter-attack. But the repel never came. Pain spiked through his insides, and he looked down at his stomach to see a small indent in the flesh where the blow had landed. "Impossible…"

Kin hammer-fisted his cousin back to the earth, and then disappeared in mid-air. "Believe me, it's possible."

Kirin slammed into the earth, but instantly stood up. ("His strength…is minimal? Right?")

Kai had to bite his tongue to contain his statement about what he had seen. ("Interesting idea, mediocrity. By striking Kirin's stomach with at least…") He tried to estimate how many low punches he had caught, but he was still unsure of the number. ("A flurry localized to one spot…a way to beat someone who has supernatural endurance. I'll have to remember that trick for later.")

Kirin had the breath blown out of him as Kin punched him in the side. ("He's too fast, I can't track him! However…") Fire started to line his form. "I'll break your resolve to be so cool, foolish cousin!" His fist slammed into the ground and his red fire demon aura lit up again. "Now come!"

Kin tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, but you're stupid." Then his foot shot up, catching Kirin in a straight line up his back. "And your posture's bad too."

Kirin stumbled forward, and a dark smile crept across his face. Turning around to face Kin, he licked a bit of blood from his lips. "Come and get me, ear-boy."

"I'll make you eat those words!" And then they both disappeared in a huge tornado that filled over half the school yard.

Kai had to brace himself to prevent himself from being drug into the tornado. ("Amazing…such amazing power. Is this really Kin's strength? How can he build up such a powerful White Wind combo with no running start?")

"_Shirakaze Rendan_!" And then the tornado drilled right into the earth, leaving a huge crater big enough to be called a swimming pool. It began to rain chunks of soil and rock over the whole of Konoha.

Kin stood at the edge of the crater, his eyes closed. "Well? If that took you out then you haven't improved at all."

"Improved at all?" Some dirt shifted and Kirin stood up from center of the crater. "I never left the ground, stupid."

Kin's eyes widened. ("He…but I felt him…") A memory flashed into his mind. "You…used a replacement technique on me right before I began to combo?"

"Exactly." Kirin cracked his knuckles. "Now then cousin, let's polish off your face with a single hit." He held up one finger. "In one blow, I will end this. And it won't be a complex blow either." His fist closed. "One straight jab to the face. That's all it will take." The flaming aura sprang to life. "Ready?"

Kin kicked off the ground, and felt another crater appeared next to the one he made as Kirin appeared where he had been standing, fist in the earth. ("He's quick!") Without the White Wind Angel technique, all Kin could do was either run or get hit. And when Kirin made a declaration, he did everything in his power to follow through with it. If he said he would end it with a straight jab… ("Then he'll try to end it with a single straight jab.") Though Kin never considered himself physically strong, his speed made up for it. However, because he was a Watanabe he possessed a body that could take intense amounts of pressure or blunt damage without much of a problem. ("The only problem is…") Rolling away from another explosion, Kin snarled and kept rolling. ("Kirin's a Watanabe too…and he's built to damage.")

"So cousin…where are you going?" Kirin smiled coldly and began to approach his fallen opponent. "Is it over so soon? Just one jab can't hurt that much, right?"

Kin leapt to his feet and snapped his hands up. "I'd agree with you…if it wasn't for the fact that I know your true technique…you're…" He felt it. It was like a building force of destruction that was just out of his sensory range. Though he didn't fully sense it, it was so huge that he could understand its existence. ("The bloodline limit of the Watanabe clan…the dragon seals.")

"That's right." Kirin clenched his fist tightly and leapt. "Grey Iron Knight dragon seal, the Kinetic Reprisal!"

("I thought it might have been…") Rock Lee frowned at his student's lack of brains in this situation. ("I can calculate the power of that technique…it's too much energy. The Kinetic Reprisal, by nature, is dangerous because even the user doesn't understand how much energy he has gathered for it. Every blow he takes lets him store some of that strength away in his body. When the time comes, he can unleash his enemy's own power on them in one single blow. Hence that single straight jab will most likely kill Kin if it connects.")

Kin slid out of the way, his feet trailing in the earth. It was like dancing, as he always thought. ("I'm fine…the Blue Water Dolphin gives me the ability to fluidly move out of harm's way. Even when it is not active, I can use its bonus to avoid death at Kirin's hands.")

Kirin followed after his cousin, swinging punch after punch in rapid succession. ("Eventually you will grow tired Kin, and the moment you do I'll hit you so hard that our ancient ancestors will shed tears of blood for your death.") His eyes burned with the passion of battle. He would not hold back anymore against his cousin. "Watch closely…Kin." The flaming aura grew red hot. "The fire dragon seal…"

Kin's eyes widened in recognition. ("The fire dragon seal lets the user push their body into overdrive by pumping their chakra into every muscle they have. It's called the improvised paradise technique.") He braced himself for what he knew was coming. Kirin was already nearly too fast, and now his reaction time would be up as well as his running speed. ("When that blow lands…I'm not going to be able to stop it.")

Rock Lee felt a single bead of sweat form on his forehead. ("This is bad! If Kirin does this…he can't though…") He was about to move…but then he felt it. ("This chakra…it could only be…")

Kirin bent at the knees, his whole body nearly consumed by the fiery aura. "It's the end for you…" Then he appeared behind Kin, body in mid-punch. "…cousin!"

Kin turned on one heel. "Forgive me, but I can't pretend anymore."

Kirin's fist stopped and he simply stood there. His eyes were looking at the ground, and the fiery aura had died out completely.

Everyone in the courtyard stared in confusion at this.

Yurei looked over at Kai to ask what had happened, but by the fact that his teammate was trembling gently he could understand he would find out in just a moment.

Kin stuck out an arm across Kirin's chest and braced himself. "Cousin…it's over."

Kirin coughed up a few drops of blood and then collapsed across Kin's arm, completely limp.

Rock Lee stood there is mute disbelief. ("One…no two…no three…it was at least four hundred blows…and they were faster than humanly possible. All of them took exactly a millisecond to land against Kirin.") He felt his heart pounding in his chest. ("Is this the power of the Watanabe family? Or is this the power of the demon's influence? How could Kin have moved that fast?")

Setting Kirin on the ground, Kin turned and started to walk towards the building. Everyone in the crowd scattered to get out of his way immediately.

Kai and Yurei both stood there, and both of them felt cold from somewhere deep down in their hearts…at what they saw. It was something that left everyone in the crowd confused and unsure what to think…

Kin's whole body was emitting an aura of chakra that was a strange white color. But unlike the White Wind Angel technique's aura…this one formed simply to create wings on Kin's back.

Off to the side, Pain snickered and glanced over at Hatred. "What do you think?"

"What's there to think?" Hatred yawned. "Konoha apparently is easily surprised by flashy tricks…"

Wrath kneeled down next to his son. "Indeed…they actually fear this boy's power? If so, then I can understand why they shun us like so…because if he is their angel, we are their nightmares."

The tall cloaked man watched Kin's back silently. ("So I see…now I remember you. The first child I've ever seen who unlocked the second level of the White Wind Angel when you weren't even old enough to drink. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself…but I believe that I remember you from recently…") Then he disregarded it. It was only a minor thought, barely within his mental process.

_To be continued…_


	26. Chuunin Exam Changes

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Note: This is not the original Chapter 26 of Wings of the White Angel. This is where the new written chapters start.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 26: Chuunin Exam Changes

Kakashi sat back in his chair overlooking the courtyard of the ninja academy, his uncovered eye looking out at the completely destroyed landscape before him with a rather disinterested look. ("I told the heads of the Watanabe households to order their participating ninjas to withhold their bloodline limits…didn't I?") Sighing, he barely moved at all when he heard the door behind him open. "Yes, can I help you Haru?"

"Yes sir, I just wanted to let you know that we've had something of an upset…amongst the examinees for the Chuunin Exam…" The blue-haired man rubbed the back of his head, rather wary to break this kind of bad news to the Hokage. "Well…"

"How many packed up and went home out of the original number?" Kakashi already knew this was going to happen. The Watanabe clan were physically inhuman, and when they did such a stupidly showmanship type of thing, it tended to scare off most ninjas of countries other than the country of Fire, who knew about them…sort of. ("Come to think of it, I still don't know which of the clans actually leads that whole clan…in fact, the whole Watanabe clan is very mysterious, and yet their members never really seem to try and hide anything. An anomaly of the universe, I guess.")

Haru took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Originally we had a number of 132 entrees into the Chuunin Exam…unfortunately…now…" His voice got rather quiet and he mumbled out something.

"Speak up please, I already know those two idiots screwed things up rather badly…" Kakashi rolled his eyes and sat back a little bit. "Come on, just cough it out."

"45…" Haru groaned. "Two teams from the Hidden Village of Mist, one from the Hidden Village of Cloud, one from the Hidden Village of Smoke, three from Konoha, one from the Hidden Village of Sand, and one from the Hidden Village of…"

"Enough." Kakashi covered his face with his hands. "This is a disaster…and exactly why I think every member of the Watanabe should be forced to wear those chakra weights they use to train with permanently."

"On that note, sir…" Haru had seen the fight too, and was rather concerned now. "Why…that whole…"

"I don't have hours, Haru. Please, just call in the staff in charge of the exams. Apparently we're going to have a change of plans…" Kakashi couldn't believe it had come to this, but so be it…

----------------------------------------

Kirin's eyes slowly opened up to see the sun far above him… "Wow…did I take a nap at an inappropriate time again?" When he stood up, he saw that Lee was sitting on a rock nearby him. "Sensei…I just had the strangest dream where I fought my cousin and…"

A cold and angry female voice spoke from directly behind him, right into his ear. "That wasn't a dream…you big idiot. What did I…Lee-sensei…your father…everyone tell you not to do?"

The red-haired boy turned, crab-walking away from the speaker as quickly as he could. "Erika-san!" Then he back-flipped into a standing position, striking a dramatic pose as he pointed at her. "You, who has never known the burning passion of a true battle, would never understand the forces that drove me to fight my cousin at the level that I…"

Erika, a black-haired and brown-eyed girl with an intensely displeased look on her face, formed a few seals. Kirin went silent and just stood there, eyes out of focus. "Shut up, loud-mouthed stupid fool."

Lee sighed. "Was it really necessary to use a Genjutsu on him? Couldn't you have just struck him like you always do?"

"Why, when I know there's absolutely zero chance that he could ever escape from that Genjutsu…" She crossed her arms across her chest and walked towards the academy entrance. "When and if he snaps out of it, tell him that the next time I'll see him is when he's acting like a true ninja, and not some stupid loudmouth fool who should have just stayed home if he was going to pick fights with his weirdo cousin and his odd friends."

Lee just sat there, a rather pale expression on his face. ("She's so scary…like her father…but colder, if that's possible.")

-------------------------

Kakashi felt the air in his office change as a group of different prescense appeared. "I'm glad all of you managed to respond so quickly. As you probably know, two members of the Watanabe clan had a fight not too long ago right in front of every single arriving member for the Chuunin Exam. To make matters worse, they were the two leading members of the fire and wind sects…Kirin Watanabe and Kin Watanabe…and the two of them completely destroyed the chances of us having a normal Chuunin Exam."

"So what should we do then? Maybe we should cancel and…"

"No." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, I have simply moved up the schedule…we'll have to skip the first part of the Exam, or else we'll risk narrowing the number of actual candidates down to the point that it won't look good on our part to the neighboring countries…"

"So…we're moving straight to the survival part of the Exam? Isn't that taking a risk to the future of our ninjas…if they aren't up to par in the intelligence gathering category, what makes you think their survival skills are up to the letter?"

"Don't worry about it. For now, simply move everyone to the beginning sections for the survival exam…" Kakashi steeped his fingers together. "Trust me…by the time we're done it will be a completely different fight for our friends…in more ways then one. Since we won't be able to deliver quantity for the last parts of the Exam, we'll deliver the finest quality instead. Dismissed."

--------------------------------------------

Yurei sighed as he finally caught sight of Kin. "Hey! Would you stop walking around like you're the top of the top and tell me what those wings were?"

Kin continued to walk, his eyes looking ahead of him. "Sorry, but I can't share that information with you. Its top secret and all that, you know."

Yurei narrowed his eyes and then calmly slammed the flat side of Shadow Goddess onto his friend's head, watching as the Watanabe was sent face-first to the ground. "I'm not listening to those stupid excuses of yours about your clan having secrets. Just tell me what the wings meant."

Kin hopped to his feet, apparently unaffected by his meeting with the tiled ground. "Now isn't the time to discuss this." He seemed to tense up slightly, and that immediately told Yurei what was wrong. They were being watched. "Come out, I can tell you're nearby."

The sound of boots on clicking came from behind a nearby pillar, and the dark-haired, almost lazy-looking form of Hatred stepped into view. "That's very good, Prize. You can actually detect me…and here I thought you might not be worth the trouble of speaking to."

Yurei hefted up Shadow Goddess, hand inching towards the weapon's wrappings slowly. Right before he could get there though, Kin's hand lifted slightly in a silent message to not prepare for a fight.

Hatred watched this little silent game with a jaded look in his eye. "As much as I'd like pound you a million miles into the dirt, I'll have to wait until the fighting portion of the exam to crush you."

"Why's that? Orders from your murdering leader?" Kin had heard a lot more about Death while he had been training with Naruto, and just looking at a subordinate of one of the Sin's subordinates made him sick to stomach.

"That's part of it, though actually my father had commented that I'm not to do anything overly physical until that point in time." Hatred spoke as if he was being conservative with the very energy he was using to speak.

"Any particular reason?" Kin was rather interested in this boy. He knew that this person was part of the Hidden Village of Smoke because of his forehead protector, but he didn't even know this guy's name. ("And yet something about him just draws me in like a moth to a flame. Maybe I know him from a past life or something?")

Hatred smiled very weakly, his entire body seeming so frail. "I know of the Radiant Paradise technique, Kin Watanabe. And to defeat it I have spent the last month storing my chakra and physical power within this frame." He pointed at his chest. "In a short time we'll meet in battle, and to defeat a power that can destroy one of the Seven Sins, I'll need to use this stored energy to crush you."

"Why are you so hot to beat me? What did I do to you?" Kin felt on the edge now, because the senses he had been given were taking over now…and he could see something coming from Hatred's body. It looked like chakra, blood red in color…but it was writhing like a living creature. ("What is that? I couldn't even see it a moment ago, and considering its intensity I'm starting to fear what the implications of it are. It's like his true colors are showing themselves very slightly.")

"Because of you, my little brother was taken away from me." Hatred slowly walked past Kin and Yurei, adding in as an afterthought as he left. "And you make me wonder whether or not there is someone in this world who can truly push any member of my family to our true breaking point."

As soon as he was out of sight, Yurei blew out a deep sigh of relief. "Wow, that was an intense moment huh?" He nudged Kin in the ribs with his elbow. "Did you feel that chakra he was giving off? That's pretty strong…"

Kin stared at Yurei like his friend had lost his mind. "Why are you acting so calm about it? Aren't you afraid that he'll be your opponent in the Exam before he becomes mine?"

"And so what if he is?" Yurei smirked and rubbed a finger under his nose. "I haven't spent the last month slacking off you know. I've been in serious training to surpass both you and Kai."

Kai seemed to drop down out of nowhere and landed between the two of them. "You sensed it right, that chakra?"

Kin was currently latched onto the ceiling above him by his nails, his canine ears standing on end and his entire body tensed nervously. "Don't freaking do that!"

"We're ninjas, you fool. It's our job to possess attributes of stealth, right?" Kai glanced back at Yurei, who had already recovered from his initial surprise. "As for you, I doubt you've improved that much just by swinging your little toy around a lot. After all, compared to the power I have gained training, any advancements you have done are completely useless."

"I see you worked out that whole ego thing." Yurei dead-panned, leaning by an elbow on the hilt of Shadow Goddess. "You can have all the power in the world, but if you're an insufferable ass then it will all be for naught, Kai."

"This coming from someone who carries a huge sword around in public for no sensible reason." Kai scoffed and walked away, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "I have no time to waste on you right now though, because the exam should be starting soon."

Yurei looked up at Kin and rolled his eyes. "Seriously, did you need to leap up that high and that fast? He wasn't that scary, was he?"

"He was to me!" The boy dropped back to the ground and tried to smooth back his hair with his hands. "I'm not a big lover of stealth, and I like having it used against me even less!"

"You're a ninja, get used to it you big fool!" Yurei rolled his eyes and walked away with Shadow Goddess still hefted over one shoulder. "A ninja who doesn't like stealth…talk about your mysteries of the universe."

--------------------

_He could hear the screams…the bloody and horrible screams that spoke of both fear and something beyond fear. It was terror…_

_Death didn't flinch in the slightest a storm of needles were stopped just a few inches from his face by his cursed tentacles. "It is pointless to try and stop me, fools. I will have the thing you have sealed in this village, and none of you will…" His words were stopped by a powerful blast of lightning that tore right through his tentacles and slammed into his body, sending him sliding backwards rapidly. "Oh? And what is this? Has the strongest of your village come?"_

"_You monster…" A human form, shadowed by the heavy flames that burned around them, began to form seals at a rapid pace. "I will burn you into the ground...by trapping you in my immortal technique! Feel the power of my Fire Prison, murdering bastard!" Then a fire exploded to life around Death's body, quickly changing into a heavy ball that allowed for no escape and no entrance. "Within that ball there is no air, so even if you protect yourself with chakra you can't move and you can't hold your breath either. The smoke should have taken care of that. Also, my prison possesses another useful ability…it can leech out chakra from its prisoner and give it to me, so that means I'll never run out of energy before you do, because by the time I'm out of energy you'll be dead. Do you understand? Your brute force tactics can't work against the determination of one who wishes to protect his village!"_

_Death stood silently, his skull-shaped pupils looking out of the fire and towards the shadowed form. However, because he couldn't see the eyes of his target, he couldn't use the Shinigan to slay the fool on the spot._

"_You won't escape, murderer. I will let you feel every inch of pain that you made so many of out numbers feel when they tried to stop you on your way to the town! Their sacrifices led you away from the innocent people who lived in the farms up the way…"_

"_Farmers?" Death's expression didn't change at all. "I already went back and killed them, one by one."_

"_What?" The shadowed form nearly lost his grip on the Fire Prison, but quickly reinforced it to hold the murderer in place. "W…Why? You went in a straight line all the way to…"_

"_And once I reached the gates, I realized what you had been doing." His blood-red eyes somehow managed to pierce through the swirling fires. "And as a punishment to those weaklings who would hide under your wing, I turned around and found every single one of them…and slaughtered them slowly." Death tilted back his head to look up at the moon, which was partially haloed in a wreath of black smoke. "They all begged for their lives, living behind that weak excuse that they weren't fighters…that they weren't involved." When the Prison tightened its pull on him, he tilted his head back down to look at the shadowed form. "Tell me…do you believe that anyone in the world is truly innocent enough to be free of my touch?"_

"_Do you really believe yourself to be Death that much? You aren't the judge for who lives and who dies!" The shadowed form strengthened the prison as much as possible. They wanted to hear the murderer beg through pain before he died. "I'll consume you within this fire…using your own chakra to do it!"_

"_My own chakra?" Death's heavy cloak fluttered within the flame on its right side. "My own chakra, you say?" Around him, a black energy began to ooze out of him like some kind of disease. "You foolish human…do you know what you are facing? You really think I'm some kind of maniac who believes he is Death?"_

"_That's all you are, and I'll pay back the lost lives you took by burning you to a crisp!" The shadowed form prepared to unleash his powerful fire Ninjutsu techniques on the disabled murderer…but felt a tingle run up his spine. "What…what's…" Then he dropped dead to the earth._

_As the fire prison diminished into nothing, Death strolled out of the subsiding heat without any reaction on his face. "It isn't an act…I am Death. There is no method of arguing it..." His cloak snapped up in the smoky winds, and he dropped to one knee to punch the ground. "Everything I touch will burn and suffer! Feel my pain!" Then a cloud of the black energy that had come from him exploded out in every direction, swallowing up miles upon miles of both village and surrounding countryside._

In his mind he could still hear those screams as he had done that…unleashed the power of his right arm. It had killed off the entire village in one fell swoop…they never had a chance to pray or beg for their lives. "Wrath, I will be taking my leave from this point onwards. You will continue to follow the mission parameters, while I will go and prepare." Without another sound, he disappeared.

Wrath nodded to the air and turned to look at Pain. "Go get Inferno and take him to the waiting room. Hatred will most likely be waiting for you."

"Very well." Half-bowing, the gaunt boy turned and strolled off casually, whistling a little tune to himself. ("I wonder…I wonder if I'll get a chance to kill that one guy…") An image flashed in his head. ("Yurei Akurei, was it?") "Next time I meet you…I hope for your sake that you're ready to die swiftly…I won't let you overcome me again."

_To be continued…_

Author's Notes: This is the first new rewrite for Wings of the White Angel. I just wanted to write that in because I know I've been getting a lot of reads on this story. I'd love it if you could drop off a review too, to help me fill in holes that might either be in the plot or in my explanations. Hell, if you made it this far and you hate it, then by all means flame me. Good or bad I'll take it, because I'd like to know the public consensus on what a Naruto story should be. After all, I've never written any Naruto fanfiction before this one, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask the members of its community what is right and what is wrong. Anyhow, next chapter should be up soon.


	27. New Meetings

Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto, but I'm starting to wish I did. Oh well.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 27: New Meetings

"So this is all of them? Wow…what a small number considering we haven't even entered the first part of the exam yet." Kakashi lazily glanced about the waiting room that held almost all of the remaining entrants for the Chuunin Exam. ("Then again…") If it wasn't for the fact he was wearing his mask, someone would have probably noticed the fact that he was rather angry. ("Those two…")

Pain sighed and glanced around at the other Genins who sat nearby him. "I swear," he muttered under his breath, "If any of these inferior ninjas so much as touch me…"

"You will be calm and not kill them anymore, unless you would like to answer to Death-sama." Next to him sat a red-haired boy wearing a pair of thick goggles over his eyes that almost concealed his face with their size. "After all, Pain, don't forget that you're not on the best terms with the rest of the Seven. Pride was a rather…self-centered and hot-blooded person, no?"

Pain scoffed. "I could care less. He's dead now, and my alliance under him is no more. For now I'm filling in for that little brat of Wrath's, though considering what I've heard of him you might as well have just chosen to go with only two. He was nothing…" The Smoke Ninja froze up slightly as he felt a strong pressure push down on him.

Hatred very slowly sat down right next to Pain, his eyes pointed towards the ground. "If you ever…ever…speak badly of my little brother…" His dull eyes flashed blood red. "I'll beat your love of death right out of your body."

"U…Understood…" Pain felt fear, and that was a rare thing for him, considering his constant brushes with the other side. But in the case of Hatred he was willing to make an exception…because that ninja scared him. ("It's like there's something deadly waiting for me if I anger him…something deadly enough that even I won't be able to live through.")

----------------------------

Kai slowly walked into the waiting room and looked around at the rows of benches that seated all of the remaining ninja. ("Only 45 in total, if my calculation is correct and everyone besides my team is already here.") He realized that some of the ninja teams were looking at him rather intently, and he felt rather irked by this kind of bizarre treatment. ("I swear…if they don't stop looking at me like I'm some kind of low class…") His hands started to very slowly move, forming the seals for his fireball technique.

"Cool down, Kai." Yurei placed his hand on his teammate's shoulder soothingly. "I'm surprised you'd be so quick to respond with violence…"

"I…I sensed something strange as I entered. It's a bizarre feeling that shortly this room will be filled with a violent aura." Kai glanced back at Kin, who was slowly approaching the doorway. ("No, it couldn't be from him. As much as I'd love to test his powers out right now, that aura was too strong to be him and too weak to be the demon. So, that means it's one of the people in this room.") Pulling his sunglasses out of his body-suit's hidden pocket, he was about to put them on when he felt a tingle run up his spine. For a passing second his eyes flashed silver. "Kin…I would…"

The moment the Watanabe entered the doorway, he was forced to duck as a kunai shot right above his head. "GAH!" Because of the forced form of the dodge, he crumpled to the ground in a rather ungraceful fashion. "What the hell?"

"Heh…as to be expected from a member of the Inuzuka clan." A strong female voice said from near the front of the rows of gathered ninja. The general chatter had gone quiet now, as Kin's yell had caught everyone's attention. "It makes sense you'd be unable to dodge that well, considering the animal your clan has such an affinity for."

"Huh?" Yurei tilted his head to the side, looking rather thoughtful. "Inuzuka? Hm…"

Kin leapt to his feet, veins bulging out of his forehead. "Who threw that, dammit? I'll beat the crap out of you!"

"Oh? I'd love to see that." A slim female form hopped over a couple of benches and landed just a few feet from Kin, just out of striking range but close enough that if she had to she could attack without hesitation. "I'd love to see you try, Inu-chan." She had to have been at least fifteen, with blond hair and a pair of strangely piercing yellow eyes. From her clothing it was easy to tell she was Genin, wearing just a strangely form-fitting suit that resembled the ones that both Kai and Kin wore because of their running speeds.

Kin glared at her in a way that seemed angry, but not quite as angry as one should be when they were almost skewered. "Who are you?"

"Me? Tsuyu Kusamura." The girl crossed her arms across her chest and gave just a little smirk his way. "I'd think that would be obvious, Inuzuka."

"Watanabe." Kin corrected her.

"Inuzuka." She countered.

"Watanabe."

"Inuzuka."

"Watanabe."

"Enough already!" Yurei propped his elbow up on Shadow Goddess' hilt. "So, you think our dear friend Kin here is a member of the Inuzuka clan? What brings that kind of thought around?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tsuyu pointed right at Kin's canine ears. "Those…are the ears of a dog! So obviously this boy has an affiliation with the Inuzuka clan!" Smirking, she gave him a self-satisfied grin. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Rather stupid," Kai muttered under his breath, and then immediately regretted it as he was plastered underneath a bench that was thrown at him.

Yurei whistled and rubbed his chin quizzically. "Tell me, do you know Ayumi by any chance? I recognize the speed of the bench-throwing."

"Who me?" Tsuyu chuckled. "Ayumi huh? Yeah, I know her. She and I go way back, after all."

A calm male voice chimed in from right next to Tsuyu. "Tsuyu, please remember not to get too violent in here. After all…" The speaker was a boy that was just a couple of inches taller than Kai and Kin, though shorter than Yurei. He had red eyes and a strange length of black hair which curved across the front of his face, the curved part being highlighted crimson. "Sensei told you to rein your temper in. Besides, that isn't a member of the Inuzuka clan."

"What?" Tsuyu stomped over to Kin and reached out to tug one of the ears, only to withdraw her hand right before Kin's hand intercepted hers. "Heh…you've got some rather quick hands…"

Kin narrowed his eyes slowly, no longer looking amused. "Please don't touch them. As much as I'd love to play along in your insane little game, I'm not a member of the clan you're so angry towards. In fact…"

"Kin! I'm not out yet!" A loud and hearty roar came from down the hall behind them.

Kin face-fell to the tile, leaving behind a small cloud of dust in his wake. ("He's already conscious?")

Kirin was charging towards the waiting room, eyes burning with a passionate flame. "I want to end this fight once and for all! Your so-called win was just a fluke, this time I'll show you my real power!"

"Kin?" Tsuyu blinked down at the still face-fallen boy. ("Where did I hear that name mentioned before?")

Kin slowly stood up and turned to face his charging cousin. "Damn it! I'm going to make sure that next time you won't be able to stand up for a week!" His hands slowly were coming together to form the seals for the White Wing Feather. He would just machine gun punch the life out of Kirin at full speed.

"Not this time!" Kirin launched into a full-bodied aerial roundhouse kick that forced Kin to disengage his attempted seals. And then the moment his feet touched down he was moving, sending in a flurry of punches that forced everyone around the two to back away. "I figured out the best way to take you down! I'll stop you from using your speed and running!"

Kin ducked underneath a punch aimed for his head and retaliated with a punch that was easily blocked. ("Damn, he's right. At this rate I'll lose. In these closed quarters my speed isn't anywhere near as useful…")

Tsuyu hopped back as Kin took a rather large hop towards her with his back. ("He's trying to widen the range he has to move…maybe I was wrong to call him a dog. Perhaps a little bird would be a better description.")

"Give it a rest already!" Yurei pondered whether it would be wise for him to just Kage Mangetsu the both of them and leave them for dead. ("Like a pair of dogs, they just go at it when they see each other.") He would have found a whole lot more irony in that sentence, but at the moment he was too busy watching as Kirin was slowly working Kin into a corner. ("No time to form seals, so what will you do Kin?")

Kin felt his back touch the wall behind him. ("Damn it, there's nowhere to run! I'll have to use that move!") He suddenly reversed directions, slamming his forehead into Kirin's as hard as he could.

Kai barely flinched as Kin's face was the one that took the most damage from that. ("What are you doing, idiot? Who does something like that to themselves?")

Kirin sneered and cocked his right fist back. "You know I won't back down or be moved by one of your weak blows, so why…" He felt a sudden change in the chakra around him…like it was beginning to spin. ("Why? What's going on?")

Kin, blood from the cut he gave himself by head-butting Kirin dripping into his eyes, returned the sneer his cousin had given him a short while ago. "I'm going to beat your ass into the ground…Ras…"

There was a blast of white smoke that swallowed up the two of them, and then a sound like a thousand little bubbles bursting at once. When the smoke cleared, there was someone standing in between the two of them. "You two give our clan a bad name…"

Kin felt his entire body as it instantly went numb from the icy chakra embedded into it. ("Damn it…he's here?")

Kirin snarled and tried to escape, but to no avail. ("I can't move…")

A white-haired form stepped out from between the two frozen Genin and glanced over at everyone in the room. "My apologies for my two stupid cousins." He wore a strangely thick jacket with no sleeves, leaving his rather thin arms completely bare. His ice-blue eyes swept across the crowd in a passing glance before he adjusted his forehead protector. Then he turned and glared right at Kin and Kirin. "As for the two of you, if I hear of you two fighting before the appropriate time again, I'll be sure to tell your elders. Kin, I'm sure your mother would just love to hear that you were picking fights with Kirin. And Kirin, I can already imagine the painful welcome your father would have for you if he knew you were so quick to unleash your full power." Then he released his chakra's hold on the two, letting their bodies go lax. In a burst of white smoke, the person was gone.

Yurei scratched the back of his head, an expression shared by most members of the room in one form or another. "That was…pretty creepy. Who was that?"

Tsuyu looked rather unhappy at these turn of events. ("And here I wanted to see what the 'legendary' Watanabe clan was capable of.") She had no doubts in her mind of their identities now. Honestly, she was more just looking to stir up a little trouble than to actually hurt anyone. But after what she had just seen, she knew that her new intention would be to find out just how powerful this clan was. ("Ayumi spoke of Kin Watanabe…the golden retriever, was it called?")

The red-eyed boy sighed and rubbed the back of his head as well, which made him seem just like Yurei for a moment. "This is rather annoying. We went through all that just to wind up back where we had started from."

Yurei nodded in agreement and extended his hand to apparently the only other sane person near him. "Trust me, when you deal with these kinds of guys you come to expect it. I'm Yurei Akurei."

"Rei Higanbana." Rei grasped Yurei's hand with his own and shook strongly. "You look to be a rather intelligent person, which makes me glad to know someone with brains is leading a pair of rather unstable ninja."

"I'm standing right here, you know." Kin frowned in distaste, but felt rather unwilling to do anything physical. ("Holityu…what was he doing here?") For one of the Jounin Watanabes to actually be in Konoha at any time was strange enough, but to actually run into him here was even more scary.

"Yeah well…" Yurei smiled and was about to say more, but his entire body started to tremble. ("That…that energy…")

Kin felt his entire body shuddering as he detected it to. ("Death? Here?") Slowly he turned his head and glanced down the hallway. And he saw him…no longer hiding beneath his thick cloak, but strolling down the hallway like he owned the entire village already.

Death knew that Kakashi wanted to keep some semblance of order to this Chuunin Exam, but he knew that he couldn't make things that easy. His visor limited his sight, but he knew what was just ten feet in front of him. ("Prize…how good of you to be in the open.") He pondered simply grabbing the boy now, but immediately decided that would be too much trouble. ("No…I came here to watch my pawns in action, and to evaluate the rest of the other countries' ninjas.")

Kin was fully facing Death now, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. ("Why couldn't I sense it up until this point? Beforehand…when we battled him before, I couldn't sense his energy to the level I can now…we would never have been able to beat him. He's a monster…that's it…just a monster.")

Death walked past his prize without a single thought on the matter. "I hope you don't mind me, Kakashi. I'm just here to listen in is all."

Kakashi glared right at the visored monster. ("This is lovely…he's barely keeping his power in check at all.")

Death strolled right down both sets of benches and walked right past Kakashi, not in the least bit worried of a sneak attack. He reached the far wall and turned to look out at the gathered Genin. ("Is this it? Perhaps the number of quality ninja is going down?")

Rei and Tsuyu stood there in silent amazement at the power they felt coming from this man.

Yurei gripped the hilt of Shadow Goddess tighter, his mind formulating a series of different plans to attack Death. But each and every one ended up in one conclusion.

Kai had recovered from the rather painful meeting with a bench, and he was standing and looking at Death with the darkest gaze humanly possible. ("This arrogant bastard thinks he can just walk in here…")

"Thank you for joining us, Kemukage." Kakashi spoke the words out like they were poison. ("He knows the absolute truth. We could probably take him down, but in the process Konoha would be completely annihilated. Only a few ninja in this whole village could survive just what his right arm can do…") It was blackmail. Death knew that if they tried to attack him, he'd just have to use his right arm and kill everyone in the village at once. ("He's got the whole village hostage, and there's little we can do but welcome this killer with open arms.")

"Is there something the matter, Kakashi?" Death's body-covering cloak rippled slightly. "I thought you were going to begin with the explanation of what was going on with the Chuunin Exam. Perhaps I was incorrect?"

Kakashi took a couple of relaxing breaths to try and ease his initial answer to that question. ("Goading him would result in disaster. For now we'll just have to accommodate this sick monster until we figure out a way to kill him in an instant.") Turning his head to look out at the gathered Genin, he held up a hand. "Everyone, I will now explain what this Exam will compose of.")

_To be continued…_

To Seeker of the Soul: I shall answer all of these questions in due time, of course.

To Yurei Akurei: I said I'd bring it back, just let me get my Naruto mental groove on first.

To Yami Hikari: Well, that is a very big honor to receive. Thank you very much.


End file.
